With the unveiling of visionOS 2.0 for the Vision Pro at WWDC 24, Apple introduced many new features, but left my desire to open up environments unfounded. Still, aside from new Mac Virtual Display display options and more control gestures, there’s one feature that stands out from the rest.
When I reviewed the Vision Pro, I noticed how emotional an experience it could be, especially when I looked back at the photos on it. When I look at photos of loved ones who have now passed away or even relive moments that I often call up on my iPhone or iPad, there was something more in the larger-than-life or larger-than-life representation of the content. When shot well, the most immersive spatial videos and photos convey a real sense of intimacy and involvement.
The catch is that currently the only photos and videos that can be viewed this way are videos recorded in Apple’s spatial image format, and that’s something you can only do on the 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max .
In the case of photos, however, that will change with visionOS 2.
Make every photo more immersive
Photos you view on the Vision Pro with second-generation VisionOS can be displayed as spatial photos, thanks to the power of machine learning. This adds a left and right side to the 2D image to create the impression of depth and effectively make the image ‘pop’. I can’t wait to try this out, and I think it will give people a more impactful experience with Apple’s ‘spatial computer’.
I also really like Apple’s approach here, as it doesn’t automatically present every photo as a spatial image – that could lead to some strange-looking shots, and there will also be photos that you’d rather have in their original 2D form let alone.
According to the visionOS 2.0 portion of Apple’s keynote, the process is as simple as swiping through images in Photos and tapping a button to see how machine learning kicks in, analyzing your photo and adding elements of depth. The resulting images really pop, and when you view them on a screen that can be as large as you want on the Vision Pro, the effect is striking.
I have already enjoyed looking at standard photos of important memories of my life with friends and family who are still around and some who have already passed on. Looking back on that big stage is emotional, makes you think and can be powerful. I’m hopeful that this option to leverage this 3D effect will make that impact even stronger.
It has the potential to vastly expand how much a Vision Pro owner actually uses the Photos app, as it’s a great way to view images at scale, whether it’s a standard shot, ultra-wide, portrait or even a panorama .
Mac Virtual Display is expanded and gestures are improved
While “spatial photos” was the new feature that stood out to me the most, visionOS 2.0 adds two other new features. For starters, Mac Virtual Display will get a big improvement: you’ll be able to make screen sizes much larger, almost like a curved screen that wraps around you, and that will benefit from improved resolutions. That means more applications will work even better here.
Moreover, you can do more with hand gestures. Instead of pressing the Digital Crown to open the Home screen, you can use a gesture similar to a double-tap to open that interface, while another gesture gives you easy access to the Control Center.
New ways of interacting are either placed in your reality, in an immersive reality for Apple, or on Tatooine if you’re on Disney Plus.