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All developers actively developing experiences for Google Cardboard should use the open source Cardboard SDKs for iOS, Android NDK, and Unity XR Plugin.
The Daydream View VR headset is no longer available for purchase as of October 15, 2019. As of November 2023, previously supported devices will no longer be able to download and install Google VR Serivces (Android application ID com.google.vr.vrcore) for new users.

How see-through mode is triggered

See-through mode is designed to be triggered in any of these ways:

Safety visuals. When a user approaches a virtual boundary of relative to the center of the established virtual space, the standard gray “safety fog” will start showing an image from the camera to increase awareness of surroundings.
Controller connection and recovery. If controllers are disconnected, see-through mode will be automatically enabled to make it easy for the user to reach for and turn on controllers without removing the headset.
Experimental see-through mode apps. Experimental Augmented Reality (AR) prototypes which use see-through mode intended to be used for development purposes and short periods of time.

Enabling and disabling see-through mode in experimental apps

Press the Daydream button to open the Daydream Dashboard.
Open the Settings menu by selecting the gear icon.
Select Beta features.
Toggle Turn on see-through mode to enable or disable see-through mode.
Reboot the device.

Also, you can use the requestFeatures API to request your users to enable see-through mode. For more information, download the samples. For more information, see the getting guide for Android NDK or Unity.