Easily the biggest news at WWDC this year was the highly-anticipated Apple Vision Pro. The mixed-reality headset has had AR and VR fans on the edges of their seats for years and on June 5 the device was finally confirmed.
Of course, a new device such as a mixed-reality headset requires an all-new interface and features. That’s where Apple’s VisionOS software comes in.
Scroll down to discover everything we learnt about VisionOS at WWDC 2023.
Availability
The VisionOS software will be available on the Apple Vision Pro from launch. The headset is set to launch in the US in early 2024.
Features
The Apple Vision Pro is designed to facilitate a wide range of activities including working, capturing 3D video, joining FaceTime calls, gaming and watching movies.
When it comes to work, the Vision Pro is designed to support productivity by allowing you to view multiple tabs right in front of your eyes. You can use either a virtual keyboard, the Magic Keyboard or dictation to type. The Vision Pro’s battery will last a full work day as long as you keep it plugged in (unplug it and the battery life drops to two hours).
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If you’re looking for a unique way to capture your life, you’ll be excited to hear that the Apple Vision Pro has a 3D camera integrated into its hardware. This means you can record and relive special memories in 3D with immersive 3D audio, though we do wonder how easy it’ll be to enjoy your time in the actual moment with the Vision Pro wrapped around your head.
On a similar note, you can view panoramas captured on your iPhone in a huge immersive view projected right before your eyes, which Apple says will make you feel as though you’re right back in that location.
Apple made a good deal out of FaceTime on the Vision Pro too, though the company conveniently dodged explaining how your friends and family will see your face on the other end until toward the end of the keynote when we got our first glimpse of Apple’s eerily detailed virtual avatar in the midst of a call.
In-person, your eyes will be projected on the headset using the uncanny Eyesight feature. This bit of software uses the same face-scanning technology as the aforementioned avatar creator to make the headset appear almost transparent. This means people can see your eyes as you take your surroundings in via the many external cameras on the headset.
A variety of app icons were also visible during the keynote, including Notes, Messages, Photos, Mail, Keynote, Apple Arcade and Disney Plus, the latter of which was confirmed via Disney CEO Bob Iger to appear on day one with the headset’s launch.
Apple showed quite a few clips of Vision Pro-wearers watching sports and movies (including immersive 3D content) and playing Apple Arcade games while sporting the headset, so it seems safe to say that entertainment will be a major perk to the Vision Pro.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
