Apple's Vision Pro Gets Exciting Update With New Features, But Where’s the AI Everyone’s Waiting For?
Apple’s Vision Pro is making waves in the tech world, even if it hasn’t quite hit the mainstream market yet. The premium price tag of $3,300 has led some to question whether this ambitious mixed reality headset can achieve commercial success. Nevertheless, Apple is not one to back down from its vision, and with the arrival of the VisionOS 2.4 update, the tech giant has introduced several exciting new features aimed at enhancing the Vision Pro’s capabilities.
Apple Intelligence Lands on Vision Pro, But Visual Intelligence Is Still MIA
The VisionOS 2.4 update brings a host of new features to Apple’s Vision Pro, including the much-anticipated addition of Apple Intelligence. This latest update introduces a suite of writing tools designed to assist users in generating, proofreading, and summarizing text with remarkable ease. Additionally, Vision Pro users can now explore Genmoji, a creative tool that allows them to generate custom characters, as well as the Image Playground, which enables the creation of images from scratch—perfect for those looking to experiment with visual creativity in mixed reality.
However, there is a catch. At the moment, Apple Intelligence is only available in US English, with Apple promising that support for other languages will be added soon. While it’s a step forward in the headset's usability, the limitations on language support may be a barrier for some international users.
New Apps and Features to Elevate the Vision Pro Experience
Alongside the arrival of Apple Intelligence, VisionOS 2.4 also introduces several new apps and features designed to elevate the Vision Pro experience. One standout addition is Spatial Gallery, a newly launched app that brings together a curated collection of spatial photos, videos, and panoramas from a wide array of artists, filmmakers, photographers, and more. This app promises to showcase the immersive potential of mixed reality, providing users with a unique way to experience stunning visual content.
Another notable update in this release is the improvement to the Guest User feature, which now makes it easier for users to share apps and experiences with friends and family. This move helps open up the Vision Pro to a wider audience, making it more accessible for social and collaborative experiences. Additionally, VisionOS 2.4 has brought the much-needed feature of natural language search in Photos, making it easier to find images with simple voice commands or text queries.
The Apple Vision Pro App for iPhone: What’s Coming in April?
While these updates are certainly exciting, the Vision Pro is not yet a perfect device. Apple has hinted at an even bigger update on the horizon, with a new app for the iPhone set to launch in April. This app will allow users to store details about their Vision Pro headset, including information about prescription lens inserts—useful for those who need corrective lenses for their mixed reality experience.
Additionally, this app will allow users to queue app downloads, a feature that many have been eagerly anticipating. This should make it easier to manage apps and content on the Vision Pro, especially given the immersive nature of mixed reality.
The Missing Piece: Where’s Visual Intelligence?
Despite all the exciting updates, there's still a notable absence in the Vision Pro ecosystem: Visual Intelligence. This AI-powered feature, which would allow users to interact with their environment and ask questions about the world around them, is still not available. Apple fans have been waiting for this feature to complement the Vision Pro’s immersive capabilities, and the company has yet to offer any substantial updates on when it will arrive.
For now, the Vision Pro continues to evolve, but until Visual Intelligence makes its debut, it remains to be seen how much more immersive the headset can become. With its high price tag and niche market, Apple’s mixed reality device has the potential to be a game-changer in the world of augmented reality. However, it will need to continue pushing boundaries in both hardware and software to win over a broader audience.
The Road Ahead for the Vision Pro
As Apple continues to refine its Vision Pro headset, the VisionOS 2.4 update is a promising step forward. With the introduction of Apple Intelligence, new apps like Spatial Gallery, and improvements to the Guest User feature, the Vision Pro is becoming more powerful and user-friendly. However, the absence of Visual Intelligence and AI-powered Siri leaves some critical gaps in the user experience.
Looking ahead, it’s clear that Apple is committed to evolving the Vision Pro. The upcoming iPhone app, coupled with future software updates, could make the Vision Pro more accessible and functional. But until Visual Intelligence becomes a reality, Apple’s ambitious mixed reality device will have to continue to innovate and impress in order to truly make its mark on the world of tech.