The Apple Vision Pro has been on the market for over a year - and has caused a lot of discussion since then. At this year's developer conference (WWDC 2025), Apple has now presented a whole range of features with the new update to visionOS26 that many users would have expected at the 2024 launch. It's nice that something is moving - but I don't need to celebrate it.
I'm also happy about updates for my Vision Pro, and I don't want to talk anyone down about that. But from my perspective, many of these new features simply seem like overdue improvements, not major leaps in innovation, as is often portrayed in a number of social media posts.
The real question for me is: are many of these changes really progress - or are they not rather the long overdue opening of previously deliberately blocked functions? Some features, such as the photorealistic personas, are indeed technically impressive and set new standards - I don't want to downplay that at all. But other functions, such as support for 360° videos or external controllers, have long been standard in the XR world. Apple deliberately held these back in order to strengthen its own ecosystem and is now releasing them - I personally find it difficult to expect applause for this now.
Although the list of features is impressive, the overall picture shows that Apple is tacitly correcting a number of decisions that have slowed down the device since its market launch. And the price remains high at around 4,000 euros. When other manufacturers deliver an update of this magnitude, it is at best a side note - with Apple it becomes a headline. And that's exactly what I personally can't quite understand.
Multi-user support: Multiple user accounts can finally be created and managed on one device.
Support for 360° and stereoscopic video: Compatibility with cameras such as the Insta360 is established - a step towards standardization.
Controller support (incl. PlayStation DualSense): For the first time, Apple allows the use of external controllers for games and simulations.
Optimized file transfer: Apple has slightly relaxed the previously very restrictive handling of file access under visionOS. Although direct file transfer via USB is still not possible, visionOS 2 now gives developers greater access to local file systems within their apps. In addition, integration with the Files app has been improved and FileProvider extensions are fully supported for the first time - making third-party cloud services easier to use. For end users, this means that there is no longer a complete iCloud requirement in every context, but many system-wide file management functions remain limited.
New developer APIs: Extended input options and spatial interactions can now be integrated more deeply.
Improved Apple personas (avatars): Facial expressions, lip sync and rendering quality have been visibly improved.
The photorealistic Apple Personas are without question a technical highlight. They allow users to appear as realistic avatars in meetings or presentations. The interplay of lip sync, facial expressions and gaze behavior is particularly impressive. But here, too, the question arises: where can I really use this feature?
In a Zoom meeting with a camera image of other participants, a persona avatar without a lower body looks rather strange. Its real strength only comes into its own when all participants are using an Apple Vision Pro - which is hardly ever the case in practice. This impressive feature is therefore limited to a small group of users.
One aspect that has been discussed in tech circles, but in my opinion has received far too little critical attention overall, concerns the usability of the Vision Pro for spectacle wearers. In short, it is practically non-existent.
If you wear glasses, you cannot use the headset without further ado. The design of the Apple Vision Pro simply leaves no room for normal glasses inside. Instead, you have to order special corrective lenses from Zeiss - which are not only expensive, but also difficult to obtain in countries like Germany. This makes spontaneous use impossible and means that the device can often only be permanently assigned to a single person in practical use.
And even worse: even if you try to slip a small pair of glasses into the Vision Pro, you risk damaging the sensitive inner lining - which in turn cannot be replaced. So it's clear that even if the glasses somehow fit inside, it's better not to do so from a practical point of view. Apple could have opted for a more inclusive design - especially at a price of around 4,000 euros. Instead, they've turned a necessity into a special paid-for solution - a questionable move for me that looks more like upselling than user-friendliness
Another example of this restrictive attitude is the so-called Developer Strap - a USB-C cable that cost around 500 euros at market launch and was necessary to connect the Vision Pro to a Mac. Many developers I spoke to said that this investment in hardware and time was simply not worth it. And so a classic chicken-and-egg problem has arisen: Hardly any software because hardly any users - and vice versa.
What annoys me about this whole Apple Vision Pro thing is that I think it actually had the potential to be the big breakthrough for XR technology in the mainstream market.
We are now - just over a year after the hype surrounding the launch - in a phase of disillusionment. And for me, this disappointment is not because the technology is bad, but because Apple has made the wrong decisions: Restrictive hardware, elitist pricing, a proprietary system and huge hurdles for developers:inside. These decisions have meant that the device hasn't really caught on with developers or the wider public.
I don't want to take away anyone's enjoyment of the Apple Vision Pro. I like the device too. But it simply falls far short of the potential it could have. I see great approaches, impressive technology and efforts to develop the device further. But in my opinion, much of this should have happened when the device was launched.
Are you interested in developing a virtual reality or 360° application? You may still have questions about budget and implementation. Feel free to contact me.
I am looking forward to you
Clarence Dadson CEO Design4real
