WHAT'S NEXT FOR VISION PRO?

Discover the future of Apple's spatial computer

-  WRITTEN BY DAVID CROOKES

Head to Apple’s Newsroom web page and you won’t find a mention of Vision Pro in the Quick Links there. Apple’s spatial headset may have arrived with a bang when it was announced in June 2023 but, in comparison to its key products (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Watch, AirPods), there’s been relatively little to report since. Instead, the spatial computer has, it could be argued, got Apple backed into a corner pondering the future for its headset experiment. But Apple isn’t about to give up. At least not yet.

As it stands, Apple does have plans, and they go beyond the recent visionOS 26 update which, it must be said, added some interesting extras. These included customizable spatial widgets such as Clock, Photos, Music and Weather that seamlessly integrate into your space, as well as the ability to spatially view images that have been converted — using generative artificial intelligence (AI) — from 2D to 3D, lending them depth. The latest OS also added more Apple Intelligence features such as updates to Image Playground, and it came with a redesigned Control Center, making it easier to navigate.

There was a greater focus on the social aspect, too. With visionOS 26, it’s now possible to get together with other Vision Pro users to play games, watch movies or collaborate, and you can benefit from enhanced Personas, now ultra-realistic and natural virtual 3D renderings of the wearer’s head that track facial expressions and movements. Add features that let you scroll and explore apps and websites with your eyes and a better way to play games by connecting the PlayStation VR3 Sense controller and Vision Pro looks more promising. It’s even possible to enjoy 180°, 360° and wide field-of-view content from Insta360, GoPro, Canon and Vision Pro. But has it proven to be enough to maintain interest?