Android 10 update kills Daydream compatibility

[GinKage]

Just like that, without any notice or warning, Daydream no longer works on my S9+.

The same applies to S9 and Note 9, which used to be perfectly compatible with Daydream, but now all you get is this:

Note that the scene behind this dialog window is actually perfectly rendered, and the phone itself is using the "low motion-blur" screen mode.

The problem is, in Android 8 and Android 9, these phones have defined a system flag "android.hardware.vr.high_performance", which is no longer defined on Android 10.
This is a Samsung-specific problem, as Pixel phones running Android 10 can still use Daydream perfectly (as reported in this Reddit thread).

Hopefully Samsung will be able to get around to fix this problem in a future system update, as it only requires them to add a single xml file to the system image...

[User111]

The fact that Daydream was discontinued by Google, does not mean that it should deliberately be disabled on devices that already are compatible. Also, this was without any warning, nothing was mentioned in the release notes for Android 10 update. Google's own Pixel phones, the ones that were originally compatible, continue to work without any issues in Android 10, as should be expected. You can choose to have or not have this compatibility in new devices (I think the fact that Google discontinued Daydream means that they do not care anymore which devices run it, so they wouldn't mind if a new device has this compatibility, by the way), but suddenly and without warning disabling this for existing devices with an update is not acceptable. There are people who have bought the S9/S9+/Note9 for the compatibility in the first place, people have invested in the headset, apps, games, etc.

Please fix! The fix is just 2 lines in an xml file!!!

P.S. If Google explicitely forces Samsung to disable the support in existing compatible devices, then please give the proper refernces, don't just post a link to an article about Google discontinueing Daydream, which everyone knows. By the way, Google's Daydream website lists the mentioned Samsung phones as compatible without mentioning that they won't be after the Android 10 update.

[Wreckronomicon]

While we all, no doubt, appreciate a response to this issue at last, I am dumbfounded that neither yourself or the devs can understand what we are asking.

We are all very much aware that Daydream has been discontinued and we are not asking for future devices to be certified, WE JUST WANT THE EXISTING DEVICES TO CONTINUE TO WORK. The headphone analogy used describes the problem perfectly.

I am one of those that have rooted my phone, added the flags and can emphatically confirm this works perfectly and so I simply cannot believe that your devs have such a nonsensical answer to your query. I'd suggest sending them the link, making them add the flags and then hiring some competent devs.

I'm bewildered!

[proteas78]

Dear all...

Let me write something more from my original post , catching on from the comment that Wreckronomicon wrote..

The purpose of an update is to fix, improve or add features...not to delete or stop those which are already working!!!

With these kind of actions you are letting us understand that there is no future proof features in our (flagship) phones .

Maybe in the next update we will loose something again!!!And that is what is leeding us to the most annoying thing...in every update you describe what the new update does...why in these one (since you already knew) you didn 't warn us about the loss of the daydream feature? And let us choose if we continue or not...???!!!

To sum it up...all these things make us very dissapointed consumers...it ' s not for my opinion , as you would like to consider, samsung level support ( especially considering that there are other products  with android 10 that still support daydream).

And  (anyway) if by any chance you didn't predict it , or miss it by mistake the solution is for sure not making us root our phones or getting back to android 9...

The solution is only one...listen to your consumers (especially when it is a so simple) and fix it!!!! The company must stand up to its name and give us the support we deserve ...or else we will  become fewer and fewer by the time...we will end up choosing other phones than yours! 

[AntS]

Hi all,

Appreciate that it’s not the news you wanted to hear.

In this instance Google ultimately chose to not extend Daydream support to One UI 2.

I asked at our end about the adding of the xml file/"android.hardware.vr.high_performance" flag as a possible solution (as suggested by the OP), but I received the reply that it’s part of Google’s rather than Samsung’s code, and so the Samsung developers wouldn’t be able to independently develop or change it etc.

However, I was also advised that there could be some hope if the option is added to the Android Open Source project by Google, as it then could also be added on Samsung devices.

[JerryR]

@AntS Still doesn't explain why they said it would be fixed during beta. Telling us to sit on our hands for Google to do something with a discontinued product is not a good answer. I doubt Samsung is making any effort to reach out to resolve either. 

In the past couple years I've bought an S8+, Note 8, Note 9, S10, S10+, S10e, Note 10+. Guess I'm done with Samsung after this.

No point in buying Android devices from a third party OEM when features disappear due to apathy from Google and the OEM.

Why buy a Samsung Chromebook, for example, if Samsung is telling us that at anytime any or all of the non-Samsung features can just disappear without warning? Or why use the Microsoft features that Samsung preinstalls on some phones for the same reason? 

I'll downgrade to Pie on the Note 9 to get Daydream working again and then dump the other Samsung devices on Swappa. Glad I didn't buy an S20. 

[OLLOPOLLO]

i.e. it may be changed, and I can understand that Samsung is not allowed to change Google android code.

But is it possible to set that feature on a wish list to hand it to google ?

And am I right that the code can be changed in the moment android 10 is open source ?

When approx. will that be ? 

[JerryR]

@OLLOPOLLO This response is Samsung's way to blame Google and not do anything. When you contact Google, they blame Samsung. 

Samsung needs Android to sell devices, and Google needs Samsung as they are the biggest player in the Android space.

Both of these companies communicate directly on these system updates. There's no reason they can't now. They just don't care about extending support on a feature neither make money on anymore.

These answers tell me this is never getting fixed. So if you want Daydream, either downgrade or root. And use this experience to guide your future purchases. 

[Kayy]

Thank you for trying but the response you received is simply untrue. Samsung absolutely has control over their system XML files to add back the flag that was intentional removed by Samsung. We're not asking Samsung to "independently develop" anything. Simply roll back the deletion of that flag. 

Playing this blame game where Samsung points at Google and Google points back is unproductive for Samsung, it's developers, and the community that puts money in Samsung's coffers; it only serves to divide the loyal fanbase even further from the company. I think I speak for all of us how this woefully inadequate lack of action has made us resentful. My household has had nearly every flagship Samsung phone since the S5 and I doubt I am the only one reconsidering buying anything from Samsung again.  

[GinKage]

I absolutely agree here: the "code" you're referring to is not Google code, it's hardware capability flags that the handset is reporting to the operating system, and it is device-specific.

It is indeed in Samsung's full control, and doesn't require any AOSP modification.

[Wreckronomicon]

Agreed. While GMS is used under licence and Google VR services would fall under that license I find it very hard to believe that upon discontinuing the Daydream project that Google insisted that compatibility be removed from One UI 2.0 before release and instead this was either an error or a deliberate action taken by Samsung.

Perhaps, considering the lack of action taken by Samsung, we could contact Google instead and ask that the check be removed from VR services instead?