Despite the unexpectedly low sales, the gadget is not without a loyal fanbase of users who are patiently waiting for OS changes that can help the device live up to its full potential. According to the recent Apple Vision Pro updates, the VisionOS 2.2 beta 4 developer release is officially live, giving experts some time to tinker around with its capabilities before the public launch that should occur in a week or two. 

Let’s dive into all the news we have about the VisionOS release.

Image: The Apple Vision Pro

VisionOS 2.2 Introduces New Features That Primarily Enhance Mac Integration

The latest beta update to the Vision Pro comes only a week after the third visionOS 2.2 beta was made available for review. The VisionOS 2.2 features for developers focus on upgrades to the Mac Virtual Display capability. The current display feature already allows users to mirror their Macs and view their screens on a larger scale through the Vision Pro headset, but it does not fully utilize the device’s expansive spatial capabilities. 

Doing away with the limitation of the standard rectangular screen, VisionOS 2.2’s new features allow for a wide and ultrawide projection of the Mac display. This expands how you view your Mac screen, creating a bigger canvas for you to run your apps and interact with them. The Apple Vision Pro does not support multiple displays but at least this way, users can use the Ultrawide setting to view apps laid out in a space equivalent to two 4K displays side-by-side.

Image: Before the update, the Mac Virtual Display was limited to a rectangular screen that could only be resized.

Introducing a Higher-Quality Display Output

The VisionOS beta 4 developer release also attempts to improve the quality of the displayed content regardless of which mode you use. With high-resolution visuals, users will be able to view content as is rather than see a downgrade in quality when said content is stretched and expanded to fit the Vision Pro’s display output. 

This is so cool

Apple Vision Pro + visionOS 2.2 Beta pic.twitter.com/RBOv0mmqOV

— Ben Geskin (@BenGeskin) November 4, 2024

For those who found the previous resolution lacking, the update will reduce the difference in resolution quality between the native VisionOS apps and the mirrored macOS apps.

Revamped Audio Routing for AVP Users

Another one of the Apple Vision Pro’s key updates is that audio from the mirrored Mac will no longer be routed through the Mac and instead be directed through the Vision Pro itself. The absence of this capability was an odd choice to begin with, but it’s enough that Apple has addressed the details now.

The VisionOS 2.2 beta 4 developer release shows us that slowly but surely, Apple is starting to address the complaints that users have had with their Vision Pro headsets, even if the changes appear minor at first glance. These features enhance the usability of the headset, which could serve to bring back interest in the device that was last very early in the game.

We’ve seen a lot of rumors surrounding the headset, from Apple halting production to the company’s attempt to work on a cheaper alternative to reach a wider audience. There is also evidence of an iPhone-powered headset but nothing concrete has been revealed by the company. 

The post VisionOS 2.2 Beta 4 Brings New Features That Enhance the Mac Experience appeared first on Technowize.

Apple skipped making any serious Vision Pro series updates and commitments at the WWDC 2024, choosing to focus solely on the VisionOS 2 software coming later this year. For users, it has been hard to get excited about a software upgrade for a device they’ll scarcely get to experience. We haven’t formally heard from them about their plans for the next iteration of the device, and now it appears the company is focusing its energy on convincing users to purchase the current headset as is. 

Image: The Apple Vision Pro

Will We Be Blessed by a More Affordable Apple Vision Pro?

Rumors about Apple Vision Pro’s “Budget version” have been floating around even before the first iteration of the device was launched. When customers learned that the device was going to be priced at $3,499 USD, many washed their hands of it at once, conscious of the fact that it would remain well outside their budget. The possibility of an affordable version lifted some spirits, but the lack of clarity about the specs of the headset eventually regulated some of that excitement. 

Now reputed sources like Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman and The Information have confirmed the rumors of the cheaper device codenamed “N107,” directing us towards the features that could be eliminated or downgraded to better suit our smaller budgets. 

Initially, it appeared the company would debut the Apple Vision Pro 2 first and then switch its attention to a budget-friendly variant but that plan has been laid to rest. This means the affordable Apple Vision Pro has a tentative launch timeline at the end of 2025, while a faster, enhanced Vision Pro 2 won’t be here before the end of 2026. Until then, the $3,499 USD price tag is here to stay.

To Apple’s credit, the Apple Vision Pro does look like a premium device and it has many sophisticated details and structural elements that must have taken significant work to design. Some might find the quality of the device deserving of the high price tag, but for an everyday individual, it’s hard to justify spending on a device that you can’t use for too long and one that you’ll probably only use when you want to show your guests what it can do. The lack of extensive app integration limits the potential of the device, but despite the negative press the “spatial computer” has received, fans are still optimistic about the Apple Vision Pro 2.

What Are the Changes Being Considered for the Apple Vision Pro Budget Version?

To make the affordable Apple Vision Pro a reality, the company has been experimenting with many different areas where it can bring down the costs. One way the cheaper Vision Pro might be different is that it might get rid of the EyeSigne display that is currently available. The feature is more for those around you than for you, showing others an image of your eyes to indicate whether you are fully immersed in a virtual experience. 

It’s a feature many hate due to its distorted appearance, but some appreciate the future potential of the setting to support customization. Users looking forward to the Apple Vision Pro budget version won’t miss the feature too much if it means a more attainable device, so it makes sense for the designers to eliminate this detail. The Apple Vision Pro updates also indicate that Apple will retain the high-resolution display to ensure customers can still make full use of the device, but conflicting rumors also suggest the quality of the AR passthrough visuals could take a hit. 

The passthrough technology is what allows users to see their physical environment despite having the headset on, and it is a key feature that sets it apart from some of its competitors. Getting rid of the feature is not an option but reducing its quality might bring down the price. According to GSMArena, the cheaper version could also come with a simpler headband and speaker setup, and the number of cameras could also be reduced. One of Apple Vision Pro’s drawbacks was its heavy weight so the cheaper alternative might be free from that particular problem. Unfortunately, they will also have to accept the fate of fewer features from the company.

Apple Vision Pro Updates—Tethered to Thrive

One of the key changes that have been discussed for the more affordable Apple Vision Pro—possibly named the Apple Vision Lite—is that it might change tactics and require a tethered device to work. This would mean the headset would require you an iPhone or a Mac in order to function. Adding in a tethered device could allow the company to use a cheaper processor and offload some of the computing power necessary to the attached device but this brings up many questions.

Apple devices are historically compatible exclusively with other Apple devices so would you have to switch to an iOS smartphone in order to experience the headset? That would alienate a pretty significant segment of the population that may be willing to invest in an affordable Apple Vision Pro headset. There is also the matter of how capable the tethered device is. If it turns out it’s necessary to have a device with the latest chipset on the market, then older iPhone and Mac users will have to consider the cost of upgrading their existing devices. 

If their expenses are about to rack up, then the budget version of the Apple Vision Pro will fail before it can get off the ground. Despite all of these updates, the cheaper Apple Vision Pro is still expected to cost around $1,500-$2,000 USD, so you need to prepare to spend at least a little more than you would on a top-end iPhone.

The many Apple Vision Pro drawbacks have not been ideal, and Meta ramping up its headset’s versatility at significantly lower prices hasn’t helped either. Apple is said to have halted all development on the Vision Pro 2, shifting its employees away from the project to focus on the cheaper headset. If they can successfully make an affordable Apple Vision Pro that still has enough of the qualities of the superior device, the company will still have a good shot at turning this into a successful product line, just like their iPhones.

The post Chasing the Dream of an Affordable Apple Vision Pro  appeared first on Technowize.