Newsletter
Virtual Reality used to be just a dream that people depicted in TV shows. In less than just two years we have seen the concept turn into reality with efforts from the company behind Oculus Rift, Samsung, and HTC. With their releases slated for this year, Google has chosen to create their own VR division and has begun moving around current employees to fill in those empty spots. Currently Google’s model of what they call VR is a Cardboard headset that the company unveiled and gave out in 2014. With their new line of people coming in to beef up their VR efforts, we should see something different on the table.
Taking lead as Vice President for Google’s VR division is Clay Bavor, who formerly was a product manager for the company. Leading as Director of Immersive Design is Jon Wiley who has a team that includes YouTube Plus and Advance Technology and Projects employees. The employees that worked with ATAP and Project Tango developments will now work under Wiley. Leading Google’s design in VR will be Joshua To who formerly was lead in app design. The aesthetic for Google’s VR will be a serious element since other VR models are coming through the door lacking that area. Google will need to pour their hearts out in this area because other sources that Apple, which is known for design is secretly building a team to take on VR.
All of these people will report to Bavor along with a new leader for VR content on Youtube and co-founder of Vine Jason Toff for more efforts that are unknown. With a new VR division that is spruced up with new and current Google employees, we will hopefully hear some good news from the company on where their new road is taking them. New job listings posted by Google verify that VR mean serious business to the search giant. Aside from an actual VR headset, Google is proud to announce that 350,000 hours of virtual reality video has been watched on YouTube using Google Cardboard. This news is good since Google wants to take a more serious approach to VR.