The Apple Vision Pro 2 is a Baby Step Towards the Future

Even updates, Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro it still feels like a technical demo of something big. If anything, the current beta of the upcoming visionOS 2 shows that Apple is still in uncharted territory. Better headset with beta update. The new touch makes it responsive and much easier to navigate. Unlike those who say the Vision Pro lacks apps (there’s a lack of current content, to be sure), I think this device will start to sing if Apple expands its usability with your standard Apple devices.

I’m tired of the phrase “killer apps” sell hardware. Cool apps may sell the product, but flexibility is a hindrance users not to leave it. If you’re dropping hundreds or—in the case of the Apple Vision Pro—thousands of dollars on one device, it better do more than one. You could argue that this describes video game consoles in a nutshell, but I’d say most don’t buy them Xbox Series X again PlayStation 5 to play one game. If I’m buying a $3,500+ gaming laptop, you’re right I’m going to use it for more than just gaming. Alan Wake II on high settings.

I’ve been using Apple’s AR headset for most of my daily activities for as long as my head can support it. Vision Pro, with the update, feels tighter and more accurate with what was already excellent hand and eye tracking. It’s still the same earphone. I’m waiting for more gestures beyond pinching and dragging that make it feel like I’m actually interacting with the VR space I’m in. We are not in the promised land of AR, not by a mile. We are still preparing a complete review of the earphones six months after the release when Apple fully implements visionOS 2. We will see what can change with the full release.

The visionOS 2 update is set to be released later this year. Although there is no word on the release date, we expect it to drop in September iPhone 16 was expected aside iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia.

VisionOS 2 Makes Using the Headset Easy to Navigate

The current beta introduces features that make it easier to access your apps with gestures. All you have to do is hold your hand open, then look and press the icon that appears. Flip your hand, and you can access the control center. This feature is similar to one Meta Quest 3 have the latest updates. However, it’s still best if you tap the digital crown to bring up your apps or look up at the screen to find the control panel.

Many quality of life improvements help alleviate pain points when looking at a short headset field of view. Now it’s easy to see your keyboard when you move your hands around it when you’re working on the site. You can also connect an original—or third-party—mouse to the Vision Pro for easy navigation. With the Mac trackpad, it’s very easy to navigate without touching in many applications. When I’m sitting at a desk, I sometimes choose to tap or swipe.

The next big change that’s important to any home is treating the Vision Pro like a computer. Previously, you could set up a guest account for an additional user, but they would have to go through the entire setup process every time they wanted to use it. Now, Vision Pro saves that visitor profile for you to open with just their eyes. As long as they continue to use it within 30 days of last taking it, the main account won’t have to sing and dance again.

The current iteration of OS 2 still doesn’t have promised features like the ability to outsource your Mac’s display to a large, curved screen that’s the size of “two 4K monitors.” It’s a feature that probably won’t be here during the first visionOS 2 release, which is a shame as it reminds me of the first Spacetop G1 laptop and AR glasses combination. That $1,900 has the added benefit of not needing to strap on a bulky headset, though I’m curious to see how it looks with AVP’s smaller OLED displays.

Does visionOS 2 Really Change How or Why You Use Vision Pro?

Small touches make a big difference when you want to use a bulky, expensive AR headset. Vision Pro now allows users to rearrange their apps in Home View. You can add non-AVP native apps to Home View for easy access. It’s something that should have been there from the beginning.

Increased usability is one thing, but Apple has been pushing local images with the latest update. Just as promised, you can turn pretty much any image into a 3D-like Landscape Image. The effect is especially good when there is an image with depth of field. I’ll admit to a bit of nostalgia when I turned a photo of my friend’s dog, Remus, into a 3D image. Remus passed away a few months ago. His nose will be remembered from now until the end of time, not just because I made his long nose open.

There is a a limited number of views are being made on the AVP, and the headset has been receiving more and more since its release. Apple has obviously invested heavily in 360-degree immersive products Wild Life series. Yes, those short films are really remarkable for how close you feel to the scenes of rhinos and elephants, even though they are there. currently there are only seven Apple Immersive experiences on the AppleTV app. Once you’re done with them, you probably won’t go back.

Reviewers made a big deal out of it the lack of Netflix or native YouTube apps on Vision Pro at launch. The new beta introduces a large graphics mode for streaming in any application in full screen with Safari. It produces the same large window you see in native apps like Disney+ or Paramount+, and it looks great even if you don’t technically achieve 4K viewing (which you won’t get anyway unless you pay for a subscription to both).

There’s One Big Thing Apple’s Missing: Better iPhone Mirroring

Disney+ may have some VR experiences for subscribers, but you can’t use most of your apps like Apple’s main locations. Some recent games, including Warped Kart Racing, or distractions like Marvel Studios’ What if?… again Synth Riders, worth a try, but there are too many titles that are 3D renderings of mobile games. You are better off streaming games or entry into the emerging Vision Pro simulation for important topics.

So, we definitely go back to the basics. Apple is marketing this device as a computer, and it’s obvious how it should be used. Standing up or sitting down doesn’t matter. You browse the Internet, stream videos, and write emails and Slack messages with a connected keyboard; it’s everything you do on your Mac. As if to exaggerate this, I couldn’t imagine using Vision Pro without the ability to mirror my Mac screen.

MacOS Sequoia allows users to mirror their iPhone on the screen and lets you control it with the Mac cursor. This already works well for quickly accessing restricted apps or tricking your phone, even in beta. Macs are easier to use in AVP. The same cannot be said for iPhones. With visionOS 2, you can pair your iPhone to the headset once you enable AirPlay Receiver in AVP settings. You still can’t control the phone this way, and the headset will make it impossible to use your face to unlock it.

I’m looking forward to trying out the Mac’s folding mirror in AVP. If that’s around the corner, it’ll make a big difference in how users can get more out of their headsets as long as they stick to the warm confines of Apple’s Walled Garden. Imagine then, if Apple did the same thing with the iPhone or iPad. What if it increases the usability of other Apple devices? That sounds like something an Apple fan can get behind, or perhaps at a very reasonable price.