Top 10 Best Daydream Mobile Apps 2024

Daydream made VR more accessible to a broader audience by providing a platform that worked with compatible mobile devices and affordable VR headsets like the Daydream View. This allowed more people to experience VR without the need for expensive gaming PCs or high-end VR headsets.

The Daydream platform was designed with a user-friendly interface, making it easy for users to navigate and access VR content and experiences.

Importance Of Daydream Mobile Apps

Daydream mobile apps are important for several reasons, contributing to the overall significance of the Daydream VR platform:

1. Virtual Reality Accessibility: Daydream mobile apps brought virtual reality (VR) experiences to a broader audience. By utilizing compatible smartphones and affordable Daydream View VR headsets, users could access VR content without the need for expensive high-end VR setups.

2. User-Friendly Interface: Daydream mobile apps provided a user-friendly interface that was easy to navigate, making it more accessible to people who were new to virtual reality technology.

3. Diverse VR Content:Daydream mobile apps offered a diverse range of VR content, including 360-degree videos, interactive experiences, documentaries, and entertainment. Users could explore different types of VR content suited to their interests and preferences.

4. Educational and Informative: Some Daydream mobile apps focused on educational and informative content, allowing users to explore historic landmarks, museums, and documentaries in an immersive and engaging manner.

5. Entertainment and Gaming:Daydream mobile apps brought immersive entertainment to users, including VR gaming experiences and virtual cinema apps, where users could watch movies and TV shows in virtual theater settings. 

In 2024, Daydream was Google’s virtual reality (VR) platform designed to provide users with immersive experiences on their mobile devices. By combining compatible smartphones with Daydream View VR headsets, users could access a diverse range of VR applications and content. Let’s delve into the top 10 Daydream mobile apps of 2024 that offered users captivating and immersive virtual experiences.

1. YouTube VR

YouTube VR was one of the standout Daydream apps in 2024, offering users a truly immersive way to explore the vast collection of 360-degree VR videos on YouTube. With the Daydream View headset, users could navigate through an extensive library of VR content and experience a sense of presence like never before.

The app is designed to work with compatible VR headsets and platforms, providing a more engaging and interactive way to watch YouTube videos. Here are some of the main uses and features of YouTube VR:

1. 360-Degree Videos: YouTube VR supports 360-degree videos, allowing users to view content from all angles and feel like they are inside the video itself.
2. Immersive Viewing: The app provides a more immersive and realistic viewing experience compared to traditional 2D videos, as users can look around and explore the VR environment.
3. VR Theater Mode: YouTube VR offers a virtual theater mode, where users can watch regular 2D YouTube videos on a large virtual screen in a VR environment.
4. Voice Search and Navigation: Users can use voice commands to search for videos and navigate through the YouTube VR app, making it convenient and hands-free.
5. Social Interaction: YouTube VR allows users to interact with others in virtual spaces and watch videos together in shared virtual environments.

2. Google Street View

Google Street View continued to be a crowd favorite in 2024, providing users with an opportunity to explore iconic landmarks and travel the world from the comfort of their homes. Daydream’s integration with Street View enabled users to immerse themselves in 360-degree panoramic images, making virtual travel an exciting and informative experience.

Google Street View is a feature provided by Google Maps that allows users to virtually explore and navigate panoramic images of streets, landmarks, and other points of interest in various locations around the world. It offers a range of uses and benefits, including:

1. Exploring New Places: Google Street View enables users to virtually “walk” through streets and neighborhoods, allowing them to explore new places and get a sense of what they look like before visiting in person.
2. Navigation and Directions: Street View is integrated into Google Maps, providing users with a visual aid for navigation and directions. It helps users find specific addresses and visualize the surroundings of their destination.
3. Virtual Travel: Street View offers a form of virtual travel, allowing users to visit famous landmarks, tourist attractions, and iconic locations from the comfort of their own homes.
4. Real Estate and Home Hunting: For those looking for a new home or evaluating potential properties, Street View provides a visual tour of the neighborhood and surrounding areas, helping them make more informed decisions.
5. Travel Planning: Travelers can use Street View to explore destinations and plan their itineraries, getting a better sense of the places they want to visit and what to expect.

3. Netflix VR

Netflix VR brought the cinematic experience to Daydream users. With a virtual theater setting, viewers could watch their favorite TV shows and movies on a large virtual screen, creating an engrossing environment akin to being in an actual cinema.

In 2024, Netflix VR was a dedicated virtual reality (VR) app that allowed users to watch their favorite movies and TV shows from the Netflix streaming service in a virtual cinema-like setting. Here are some key features and aspects of Netflix VR in 2024:

1. Virtual Cinema Experience: Netflix VR provided users with a virtual theater experience, where they could watch Netflix content on a large virtual screen in a 3D environment. This offered a more immersive and cinematic viewing experience.
2. Compatibility: Netflix VR was compatible with various VR headsets, including the Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, and PlayStation VR, among others.
3. Watch Netflix Content in VR: Users could access their Netflix account from within the app and stream a wide range of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and other content available on Netflix.
4. VR Controls: Netflix VR offered intuitive controls for navigating the app and selecting content while in the virtual environment.
5. Comfort and Immersion: The app aimed to provide a comfortable and enjoyable viewing experience, minimizing motion sickness and optimizing the visuals for a seamless VR experience.

4. Hulu VR

Hulu VR extended the streaming service to the Daydream platform, allowing users to access TV shows, movies, and Hulu’s exclusive VR content in a virtual theater. Social viewing features enabled users to enjoy content with friends in a shared virtual space.

In 2024, Hulu offered a dedicated virtual reality (VR) app called “Hulu VR,” which allowed users to watch TV shows, movies, and exclusive VR content in a virtual theater setting. Here are some key features and aspects of Hulu VR in 2024:

1. Virtual Theater Experience: Hulu VR provided users with a virtual theater experience, where they could watch Hulu content on a large virtual screen in a 3D environment. This created a more immersive and cinematic viewing experience.
2. Compatibility: Hulu VR was compatible with various VR headsets, including Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR, Google Daydream, and PlayStation VR, among others.
3. Hulu Original VR Content: In addition to standard Hulu content, Hulu VR featured exclusive VR content and experiences created specifically for virtual reality.
4. Interactive Elements: Some of Hulu’s VR content included interactive elements, allowing users to participate in the story or experience.
5. Intuitive Controls: Hulu VR offered intuitive controls for navigating the app and selecting content while in the virtual environment.

5. The Guardian VR

The Guardian VR app offered users an innovative way to consume news. With immersive 360-degree videos and interactive storytelling, users could dive into global news events and important stories with unparalleled depth and context.

Here are some key features and uses of The Guardian VR in 2024:

1. Immersive News Content: The Guardian VR offered immersive and interactive news content in virtual reality. Users could experience news stories and documentaries in a more engaging and immersive manner.
2. 360-Degree Videos: The app featured 360-degree videos, allowing users to explore the surroundings and context of the news events and stories from different angles.
3. Storytelling and Documentaries: The Guardian VR presented in-depth storytelling and documentaries, offering users a unique way to experience and understand important news topics and events.
4. Global News Coverage: The app covered a wide range of global news topics, allowing users to virtually travel to different locations and get a firsthand view of various news events.
5. Social Impact and Awareness: The Guardian VR focused on providing news stories that had a significant social impact, raising awareness about pressing issues and challenges around the world.

6. Vrse – Virtual Reality (Now known as WITHIN)

Vrse rebranded as WITHIN, was a captivating VR app that curated a diverse collection of interactive stories, VR films, and 360-degree videos. Users could explore compelling content created by a variety of artists and filmmakers.

Here are some key uses and features of Vrse – Virtual Reality (WITHIN) in 2024:

1. Curated VR Content: Vrse offered a curated selection of high-quality VR content, including short films, documentaries, music experiences, and art installations.
2. Immersive 360-Degree Videos: The app provided users with access to 360-degree videos, allowing them to explore real-world locations and environments in a more immersive manner.
3. Interactive Storytelling: Vrse featured interactive storytelling experiences, where users could actively engage with the narrative and influence the outcome of the story.
4. VR Films and Documentaries: The app showcased VR films and documentaries, providing users with a unique and immersive way to experience storytelling and educational content.
5. Music and Concert Experiences: Vrse included VR music experiences, allowing users to feel as if they were present at live concerts or music performances.

7. BBC VR Hub

The BBC VR Hub was a unique offering from the British Broadcasting Corporation, delivering users a range of immersive VR experiences, including documentaries and entertainment content.

It offered users a variety of immersive VR experiences, including documentaries, news content, and entertainment, all designed to provide a unique and engaging way to consume BBC’s programming. Here are some key features and uses of the BBC VR Hub in 2024:

1. Immersive VR Experiences: The BBC VR Hub provided users with a selection of immersive VR experiences, allowing them to feel present and engaged in the content.
2. 360-Degree Videos: The app featured 360-degree videos that allowed users to explore their surroundings in a more interactive and lifelike manner.
3. Documentaries and News: The BBC VR Hub offered a collection of VR documentaries and news content, enabling users to experience stories and events from around the world in a new and immersive way.
4. Entertainment Content: The app also included VR experiences related to entertainment shows and events, allowing users to interact with their favorite BBC programs in a novel format.
5. Educational and Informative: Some VR experiences on the BBC VR Hub focused on educational and informative content, providing users with in-depth explorations of various subjects and topics.

8. The New York Times VR

The New York Times VR app allowed users to delve into the newspaper’s groundbreaking virtual reality journalism. From documentaries to breaking news stories, users could experience a new dimension of reporting.

 The app delivered immersive and interactive VR journalism, allowing users to experience news stories in a whole new dimension. Here are some key features and uses of The New York Times VR app in 2024:

1. Immersive VR Journalism: The New York Times VR app offered users a unique and immersive way to consume news. By using VR technology, users could feel like they were physically present at the scene of the news event, providing a deeper understanding of the story.
2. 360-Degree Videos: The app featured 360-degree videos, enabling users to explore their surroundings and get a comprehensive view of news events and stories.
3. In-Depth Reporting: The New York Times VR app provided in-depth reporting and coverage of important news events and stories, offering a more comprehensive and engaging experience compared to traditional news formats.
4. Documentaries and Special Features: The app included VR documentaries and special features that covered a wide range of topics, from international conflicts to cultural events and human interest stories.
5. Educational Use: The New York Times VR app served as an educational tool, allowing students and researchers to immerse themselves in important news stories and gain a deeper understanding of complex issues.

9. The Wall Street Journal VR

The Wall Street Journal VR app catered to finance and business enthusiasts, providing an immersive approach to consuming financial news and insights through VR.

The app provided users with a unique and immersive way to consume financial news and insights through VR experiences. Here are some key features and uses of The Wall Street Journal VR app in 2024:

1. Immersive Financial News: The Wall Street Journal VR app delivered financial news and stories in an immersive VR format, allowing users to feel like they were physically present in the financial world.
2. 360-Degree Videos: The app featured 360-degree videos, enabling users to explore the financial districts, stock exchanges, and key locations associated with business news.
3. Insightful Documentaries: The Wall Street Journal VR app included VR documentaries and features that covered important financial events, market trends, and economic analysis.
4. Educational Tool: The app served as an educational tool for users interested in finance and business. It provided a unique perspective on financial concepts and market dynamics through the immersive VR experience.
5. User Interaction: Some VR experiences within the app allowed users to interact with financial data, charts, and other elements within the virtual environment, enhancing engagement and understanding.

10. Discovery VR

Discovery VR offered users the chance to explore breathtaking environments and wildlife through their VR headsets. The app took viewers on thrilling adventures with captivating documentaries and VR experiences.

The app provided users with captivating and educational VR experiences, focusing on exploration, wildlife, and adventure. Here are some key features and uses of Discovery VR in 2024:

1. Breathtaking Environments: Discovery VR allowed users to virtually travel to breathtaking environments and landscapes, from exotic rainforests to vast savannas, providing a sense of presence and adventure.
2. Wildlife Encounters: The app featured VR experiences that allowed users to get up close and personal with wildlife, providing a thrilling and educational view of animals in their natural habitats.
3. Adventure and Exploration: Discovery VR offered users the chance to go on thrilling adventures and explore unique locations around the world, from the depths of the ocean to the peaks of majestic mountains.
4. Documentaries and Educational Content: The app included VR documentaries and educational content, enabling users to learn about different cultures, ecosystems, and scientific discoveries in an immersive and engaging manner.
5. 360-Degree Videos: Discovery VR utilized 360-degree videos, allowing users to look around and explore the entire surroundings, creating a more immersive and lifelike experience.

Conclusion:

Daydream mobile apps played a significant role in bringing virtual reality (VR) experiences to a broader audience. Through compatibility with Daydream View VR headsets and compatible smartphones, these apps offered users an immersive and interactive gateway into the world of VR. The diverse range of content, including 360-degree videos, interactive storytelling, entertainment, educational experiences, and social interactions, caters to various interests and preferences.

Daydream mobile apps provided a user-friendly interface and intuitive controls, making VR accessible to both experienced users and newcomers. They served as a platform for innovative storytelling, allowing content creators to explore new possibilities in the VR space, from news organizations delivering immersive journalism to media companies showcasing captivating wildlife encounters and breathtaking landscapes.

These apps encouraged cross-device compatibility, ensuring accessibility for a wider audience, and facilitated the adoption of VR technology by providing a comfortable and engaging experience. They contributed to the democratization of VR, offering affordable and accessible VR experiences compared to high-end VR setups.

With continuous updates and improvements, Daydream mobile apps kept users engaged with fresh and captivating content. The apps served as a platform for creativity, exploration, and entertainment, enabling users to virtually travel, learn, and interact in new and exciting ways.

Though Google announced the discontinuation of the Daydream platform in 2019, the legacy of Daydream mobile apps showcased the potential and significance of VR in various industries, from media and entertainment to education and beyond. The ideas and innovations from these apps continue to influence the development of VR technology, paving the way for future advancements and experiences in the ever-evolving world of virtual reality.