It’s been a busy week for Apple. Firstly, the US technology company revealed its surprise new iPhone 16e smartphone, which offers big features – such as an impressive A18 processor, long battery life and toughened all-screen design – at a lower £599 price. Now, the company has confirmed it’s bringing a smart boost to its clever Vision Pro headset.
This VR-style Spatial Computer arrived in the UK last year and offers users a fully immersive way to watch movies on giant cinema screens, play games in virtual worlds, make interactive video calls and work thanks to full screen sharing from the Mac.
As you can read in or full review, the Vision Pro is already leading the pack when it comes to futuristic wearables but it’s about to get even better.
It’s been confirmed that Apple Intelligence is now coming to Vision Pro in a major update. For those not aware, this clever boost – which landed on UK iPhones and iPads in December – allows users to access an improved Siri assistant, get help generating emails via Writing Tools and there’s full integration with ChatGPT.
You can even create unique images using the Image Playground apps, and fun ‘Genmoji’ emojis can be sent just by typing in a description.
It can offer instant smart replies to save time, sort your email inbox in a flash and it makes finding photos in family albums faster with users able to simply ask it what they are looking for as a description.
Apple says this smart intelligence will start rolling out as part of a visionOS 2.4 beta update with those in the US getting it first. This will then be expanded to other regions, such as the UK, at some point in the future.
It’s a smart update, but that’s not all. There are a swathe of other changes included as well, including making it easier to share the device with others. One of the current pain points of Vision Pro is that it can be slightly fussy when you want to hand the headset over to friends and family to try.
Once the new software arrives, guests will be able to place it on their faces and start enjoying the experience faster.
With new enhancements to Guest User in visionOS 2.4, Apple says users can start a Guest User session with their nearby iPhone or iPad. When their device is unlocked, they can choose which apps are accessible to their guest and start View Mirroring with AirPlay, making it easy to guide a guest through their Vision Pro experience.
When a guest has finished, their eye and hand tracking settings can be saved for the next time they fancy a try.
Other bonus extras include a new Apple Vision Pro App for iPhone which lets owners search for apps and content from their smartphones. These can then be queued up and downloaded ready for when the Vision Pro is fired up. A Discover page will also offer curated recommendations for new and noteworthy experiences available on Apple Vision Pro plus users will also find tips for getting the most out of it.
Finally, visionOS 2.4 introduces something called the Spatial Gallery. This is a new app that features a selection of spatial photos, spatial videos, and panoramas curated by Apple for Apple Vision Pro. With Spatial Gallery, users will enjoy breathtaking moments spanning art, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, nature, sports, and travel, with new content released regularly.
At launch, users can discover remarkable perspectives from photographers like Jonpaul Douglass and Samba Diop; new stories and experiences from iconic brands including Cirque du Soleil, Red Bull, and Porsche; behind-the-scenes moments from Apple Originals like Disclaimer, Severance, and Shrinking; and special moments from top artists.
“Apple Vision Pro is helping users communicate, collaborate, and experience entertainment in entirely new ways — and we’re continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible in spatial computing with visionOS 2.4,” said Mike Rockwell, Apple’s vice president of the Vision Products Group. “With Apple Intelligence, Vision Pro users will be able to take their productivity and creativity to new heights using features like Writing Tools, Image Playground, and Genmoji. And we’re excited for users to discover and share incredible new experiences with Spatial Gallery.”
