Google makes VR software Cardboard open source

Google is making its VR software Cardboard open source, the company has announced. It still promises to add things to the software itself, but leaves the further development of Cardboard to interested developers.

Cardboard use has declined in recent years, Google says. By making the code open source, developers can easily add support for new applications and smartphones. It is also possible to create your own Cardboard apps and program VR apps. In addition, the QR code to connect Cardboards no longer depends on the Google Cardboard app.

Development within Cardboard’s SDK requires Android Studio 3.4.1 and the Android NDK for development on Google’s mobile operating system. For iOS, developers need Xcode 10.3 or later. Cardboard has been around for about 5.5 years. Many headsets appeared, especially in the early years, including many made of cardboard, such as the original Cardboard.