Credits: Apple
Today, Apple unveiled visionOS 2, marking the first significant update to the Vision Pro’s operating system. The initial beta of visionOS 2 is now accessible to members of the Apple Developer Program, with the public release scheduled for later this year.
Currently, the Vision Pro allows you to view spatial photos—3D images—but only those captured with the iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. However, Apple is expanding the Photos app to enable any image you’ve taken to be transformed into a spatial photo, with machine learning generating a 3D-like image from your 2D picture.
Additionally, SharePlay is being introduced to the Photos app, allowing you to view photos together with someone else who has a Vision Pro headset.
visionOS 2 introduces a fundamental feature that was absent when the Vision Pro was initially launched: the capability to rearrange apps and position them as desired.
In visionOS 2, Travel Mode now supports trains, and the Guest User feature can retain a guest’s eye and hand data for up to 30 days.
Additionally, visionOS 2 incorporates new APIs and frameworks tailored for developers creating apps for the Vision Pro, including HealthKit for health-related data and TabletopKit for tabletop games.
Introducing New Gestures
Apple is refining and enhancing gesture controls in VisionOS 2.0 to make accessing commonly used features and menus more intuitive. For instance, you can raise your hand and tap to return to the Home Screen, flip your hand over and tap to check the battery life and time, and tap to open the Control Center.
Expanded Virtual Display
For those utilizing the Vision Pro as a productivity tool alongside their MacBook, the Mac Virtual Display feature is being enhanced to provide the experience of having two 4K monitors side by side.
Immersive Photos and Videos
If you prefer not to use your iPhone, Apple announced that Canon will introduce a new spatial lens for the EOS R7, allowing you to capture spatial photos.
Furthermore, a new Vimeo app will launch on VisionOS this fall, enabling you to watch immersive 100-degree 8K videos on the headset.
Apple’s press release detailed additional features of visionOS 2, including AirPlay receiving mode and systemwide Live Captions:
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Within Safari, users can now watch videos in an immersive Environment, including on popular sites like YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon. While browsing webpages, users can tap on panoramic photos to experience them wrapping around them. Siri is also capable of reading and speaking webpage content while users engage in multitasking.
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The Apple TV app introduces multiview support to the Apple Vision Pro, enhancing the sports-viewing experience. Later this year, fans will be able to stream up to five simultaneous feeds, allowing them to keep track of multiple sports and teams at once.
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The Mindfulness app offers a new feature named Follow Your Breathing, designed to help users achieve calmness and focus through dynamic visual animations and responsive sounds synchronized with the user’s breathing patterns.
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Systemwide Live Captions enhance accessibility for all users, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, by providing live transcription of spoken dialogue in both live conversations and audio from applications.
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Users can now stream content to their Vision Pro via AirPlay from their iPhone, iPad, or Mac devices.
Now Available in More Countries
The Apple Vision Pro will also see a release beyond the borders of the U.S. Pre-orders for China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore will commence this Thursday, June 13, at 6 p.m. PT, with availability starting on Friday, June 28.
For Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, pre-orders for the Vision Pro will begin on Friday, June 28, at 5 a.m. PT, and it will be available on Friday, July 12.