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ZTE's Axon 7 Is Now The Cheapest Daydream Compatible Phone

ZTE's Axon 7 Is Now The Cheapest Daydream Compatible Phone

Though it’s not as costly as PC-based VR, getting into mobile VR can still be expensive if you don’t have the hardware to run it. ZTE’s Axon 7 is helping lighten that load a bit.

The Chinese phone maker today announced that its handset, a flagship device that released all the way back in July 2016 in the US, is the latest phone to become Daydream compatible with the arrival of the Android Nougat update. Notifications to upgrade the phone to the latest version of the operating system should be rolling out now and, once downloaded, you’ll be able to use the handset with Daydream compatible headsets like Google’s own Daydream View or the upcoming offering from Huawei. Axon 7 users will have access to all of the same content available on other platforms.

Specs-wise, the Axon 7 boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 2.15 GHz quad-core processor, and a 5.5″ AMOLED display. It weighs 175g and also features Dolby Atmos speakers. It’s not the most noteworthy phone on the specs side, but its price point makes up for it.

Crucially, the phone is perhaps the most affordable Daydream compatible phone to launch yet. You can pick the up 64GB model up for $384.24 over on Amazon, while a 32G Pixel is $680, the Moto Z is $449. The Mate 9 Pro from Huawei and the ZenFone AR from Asus are also both due to support the ecosystem in the future.

Before its launch late last year, Google had suggested that its Daydream mobile VR platform wouldn’t be compatible with many existing smartphones, but the Axon 7 defies that ruling. Could other older phones like Samsung’s Galaxy series possibly support Daydream with Android updates in the future? It would certainly lower the cost of getting into VR dramatically, though it remains to be seen if older phones will be able to sustain the increasingly intensive VR content appear on platforms.

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