Recently, Google’s virtual reality team ushered in a new colleague, Matt Apfel, former content manager of Samsung Gear VR. He also served as the deputy director of Samsung's VR content, mainly focusing on the related content of Samsung's Milk platform VR services, and is now used to display virtual reality video content, including music, television, and movies. The platform also made the most ambitious project called Gone. This is a virtual reality thriller produced by Skybound Entertainment and Wevr, allowing viewers to freely switch between different perspectives. However, with the departure of Matt Apfel in March of this year, the service of Milk Video has been closed.
Apfel's time to join Google is very interesting. According to TechCrunch reports, Google is building a strong team within the company to develop a smart machine-based VR platform called Daydream. The newly added Matt Apfel is responsible for Daydream's production of the next-generation mobile VR ecosystem.
At the Google I/O Developer Conference held in May this year, Google released Daydream and hopes to bring the VR experience to the general public by deeply integrating VR functions in the latest Android smart machines. Google did not create a dedicated virtual reality head display, but added virtual reality capabilities to Android devices, and let mobile phone manufacturers make Daydream-compatible smartphones.
Daydream impacted the VR business jointly created by Samsung and Oculus from multiple aspects, but Samsung has already signed up to become Daydream's early hardware partner. Daydream expects to have its own app store in the near future, and users can access third-party publishers' virtual reality applications. However, as part of building Daydream, Google’s virtual reality team is already testing many different concepts of virtual reality content. According to rumors, Samsung's latest Note smartphone is likely to be released next month, and the configuration can support the Daydream platform.
Over the past few years, Google has been working hard to make VR content development tools and platforms. Cardboard is an entry-level VR device that can meet basic VR needs, but the Android "Nougat" technology upgrade is likely to allow users to enjoy a more enjoyable VR experience through the Daydream platform. It is reported that Daydream platform will be launched later this fall.
Interestingly, according to a report from the Korea Times, Samsung said in early July of this year that the company’s employees were too poor. Only 2% of the employees were qualified for Google’s position. I wonder if Matt Apfel counts as 2% of this elite?