Motorola's stepping into the VR space with its 'Virtual Viewer' Moto Mod

Motorola's dipped its toes in just about every niche possible with its Moto Mods. We've seen a projector, Polaroid printer, battery packs, game pads, and more, and it looks like Motorola's next step will be into the world of VR.

Courtesy of Evan Blass, we have a picture of Motorola's upcoming "Virtual Viewer" Moto Mod. Blass doesn't share any details in regards to how the Virtual Viewer will work, but it looks like you'll connect your Moto Z device to the inside so you can consume VR content.

Did anyone ask for this?

The Virtual Viewer closely resembles Google's Daydream View headset, but the main difference is that the Daydream View can be used with any Daydream-compatible Android phone — not just ones under the Moto Z umbrella.

Motorola's Virtual Viewer does have a cutout for the rear camera sensor, and while this could suggest Motorola will add some sort of augmented reality feature on top of the regular VR content, it could also just be a design thing.

We don't have any word on pricing or availability just yet, but assuming this is just a headset for Daydream, I can't see myself recommending this to anyone. Why purchase a headset that's limited to just the Moto Z when you could get similar functionality from another one that works with virtually every Android flagship?

If you're a Moto Z owner, is this something you'd be interested in?

Alexa as a Moto Mod is almost a good idea

Joe Maring

Joe Maring was a Senior Editor for Android Central between 2017 and 2021. You can reach him on Twitter at @JoeMaring1.

6 Comments
  • I think this is cool. Especially if it gives you a extra battery. If so then it's more than a standard Daydream unit.
  • If it is not insanely priced, then I would be interested in this for my Z2 Force
  • I'm all for it! It's showing that Moto is serious about their commitment to the MotoMods platform.
  • And it only took them almost 2 years to start showing their commitment. They said there would be at least one per month since the original Moto Z came out.
  • I guess any advantages would be a result of how it interacts. Does it connect to the pins? Does it charge the battery? (VR hits battery life hard).
    The camera cutout I totally get, as it's required for things like AR and Merge Cube apps.
  • If it has extra battery, I'm all in. Nothing is worse than using a VR headset and taking out your phone at 50%.