Despite its impressive technical features, Apple's Vision Pro has yet to capture the world's attention. It's still in its early days, and Apple continues to invest heavily in the headset. According to recent reports, the company plans to integrate AI features into the VisionOS and is preparing a new approach for in-store demonstrations.
Adding Apple Intelligence
Apple is navigating the challenge of incorporating Apple Intelligence into the augmented reality interface of the Vision Pro headset, as reported by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This process involves overcoming technical hurdles and ensuring a seamless user experience. This could be welcome news for Vision Pro owners who were disappointed by the lack of mention of the headset during the AI portion of Apple's WWDC 2024 keynote presentation.
New “Go Deeper” demos
Apple is also introducing a new ‘Go Deeper' option for its in-store demos. This includes testing office features and watching videos, providing users with a more immersive and comprehensive understanding of the headset's capabilities. Additionally, the company is defaulting to the Dual Loop band, which sends straps over the top and around the back of wearers' heads. This is a change from the single-strap Solo Loop band, which some users found uncomfortable.
Furthermore, Apple is introducing a personal touch to the demos. Users will be able to view their own videos and photos, including panoramas, on the headset. This feature, combined with the upcoming release of Vision OS 2 this autumn, is expected to be a hit. This new version will include a'spatialize' option to turn 2D photos into 3D ones—a feature that is surprisingly impressive, albeit somewhat quirky with hair and glasses, much like Apple's Portrait Mode feature.
Future developments and challenges
However, users should be aware of potential downsides. Viewing personal images on a large scale can reveal flaws that aren't noticeable on smaller screens, similar to how photos on an iPhone can look different on a computer monitor.
All these efforts are a stopgap until Apple releases a more affordable headset, expected at the end of next year. There are conflicting rumours about what this new headset will look like. Some suggest it might have lower-resolution displays, while others believe Apple will maintain high-resolution displays but is no longer working on the Vision Pro 2.
The underlying issue in these reports is that Apple needs to be more affordable to create the desired headset. While it's too early to declare the Vision Pro a failure, without a cheaper alternative, Apple might have to settle for the Vision Pro serving a niche market as it pursues the dream of lightweight AR glasses.
