Apple Vision Pro might not be Apple’s top priority these days, but you wouldn’t know it from the visionOS announcements at WWDC on Monday. Along with the previously noted improvements to the VR headset’s 3D photographs and environments, a slew of other upgrades are coming to visionOS, including a smarter Siri, 3D environments for Safari, and quicker connections to wifi.
Vision Pro users will get the best version of Siri AI
Maybe the biggest news at WWDC is the much-anticipated AI version of Siri. Siri AI will be available across Apple devices, but Vision Pro users get a couple of cool features that no one else will have: the ability to have Siri AI look where you’re looking and answer your questions based on what it sees, and a Siri widget for your augmented home, so you can pin virtual Siri where it’s needed most. You should still be able to say “Hey, Siri” whenever you like too, but Vision Pro users will be able to access Siri with their eyes. Welcome to the future.
The new, improved Siri is scheduled to hit Apple devices this fall, and you’ll be able to switch from your phone or tablet to your headset without Siri missing a beat. No matter what device you use it on, Siri AI will be able to access (Apple) apps, and give answers based on conversational context, too. So you could say, “Hey, Siri, pull up pictures of that time I went to Yonkers,” and they’ll populate in front of your eyes. This will all be done in the form of casual conversation, naturally.
Eyes-only notifications, 3D Safari, and other refinements to visionOS
The refinements below weren’t mentioned during the show, but they’re on the way. They’re not exactly life-changing, but a lot of small improvements add up. I’m personally psyched to check out Vision Pro’s new ability to preview notifications just by looking at them. Another much-appreciated upgrade: Safari will support 3D environments. Developers can create 360° backgrounds that surround your physical space for more immersive browsing. I’ll finally be able to move beyond web browsing on a flat plane like a caveman.
What do you think so far?
Below are even more improvements coming to visionOS.
Improved Control Center: I didn’t have an issue with how Control Center worked before, but Apple splitting it into three new sections—Notifications and playback, core controls, and Environment—will definitely make it easier to find what I need.
Faster wifi: According to Apple, your Vision Pro will connect to wifi up to three times faster.
Improvements to Dwell Control: Apple is updating Dwell Control to make it easier to make selections with just your eyes. The new version of Dwell features a check mark you can glance at instead of waiting for a timer. Apple promises it will be more intuitive, faster, and more natural.
Reality Composer 3: For developers who are following the conference, Apple revealed Reality Composer 3, promising a tool that can “create game assets with advanced simulation, character animation, and dynamic lights…to build game logic without writing any code.”
Smaller widgets and virtual display widget: Any customization option for AR is good, so yes, give me those extra-small widgets, please. There’s also a new Mac Virtual Display widget that can connect to your Mac instantly, even when it’s closed.
Faster messages: Missed message notifications and unread counts sync more quickly across your Apple devices.