Apple has debuted the first major software update to Vision Pro, visionOS 2, at its WWDC 2024 keynote. visionOS 2 improves many core functions of Vision Pro, including enhancements to the Mac Virtual Display, new hand gestures for easier Home View controls, Travel Mode improvements, and more.
The Photos app on visionOS 2 gains numerous new features for a more immersive experience right on Vision Pro. Thanks to advanced machine learning algorithms, users can turn normal 2D images into spatial photos with the tap of a button. SharePlay and spatial Personas make it easier and more personal to relive memories in the Photos app with others.
Recording spatial videos just got easier with the introduction of a new spatial lens for the Canon EOS R7 camera. The spatial lens, developed in unison with Apple, will be available for consumers later this year. Final Cut Pro on the Mac will be able to edit spatial videos, and a brand new Vimeo app for Vision Pro will make it easier to share spatial videos with more people.
New gestures on visionOS 2 make it easier for Vision Pro users to access the most common parts of the interface. The Home View can be accessed faster with a new hand flick gesture, while a separate one makes it easier to quickly view relevant information like the current time and battery level. Building on this gesture, the Control Center is much faster to open.
Improvements to the Mac Virtual Display will make users more productive than ever when using Vision Pro with the Mac. A new expansive virtual display option offers an ultra-wide size setting equivalent to two 4K monitors. Vision Pro and visionOS 2 also add mouse support for a more flexible productivity environment, while hardware keyboards will now be recognized and not obscured when fully immersed in an Environment.
Apps on the Home View can now be rearranged as users please. Travel Mode now supports trains, allowing users to be productive in more places than before, including the new Bora Bora Environment. The expanded Guest User mode makes it easier to share Vision Pro with others, storing hand and eye data for navigation and tracking for 30 days.
visionOS 2 is a big upgrade for developers, adding new APIs like HealthKit and TabletopKit. For video consumption, Apple is collaborating with Blackmagic Design to offer a commercial camera system for recording Apple Immersive Video. The Mindfulness app can track and sync visuals to the user’s breathing pattern with a new Follow Your Breathing feature.
visionOS 2 is now available to developers as a beta, with a planned launch later this year as a free upgrade to all Vision Pro users.
