TL; DR
- Apple announced visionOS 26 for their Vision Pro headset.
- The update brings new Spatial Widgets, Shared experiences & Personas.
- Headset also gains 360-degree video playback support, and slew of immersive features.
At their World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC) today, Apple also announced the new visionOS 26. This new operating system for the Vision Pro headset not only adopts the new “Liquid Design” language seen across Apple’s lineup but also brings new intutive feature to the Vision Pro headset.
ALSO READ: Full List of iPhone Models Compatible with iOS 26 update
Widgets get Spatial treatment
Apple is elevating user experience by transforming standard widgets into interactive spatial objects. With visionOS 26, widgets for Clock, Weather, Music, and Photos can be pulled out of their traditional windows and placed anywhere in a user’s physical environment.
These customizable widgets persist in your space each time you put on the headset, allowing you to decorate your surroundings with panoramas, distinctive clock faces, or quick-access music playlists. According to Apple, a new dedicated Widgets app will also help users discover compatible widgets from their existing iOS and iPadOS apps.
ALSO SEE: How to Install iOS 26 on Your iPhone?
More Lifelike Personas and Shared Experience
Based on early feedback on its digital avatars, Apple is giving Personas a significant makeover. By using advanced volumetric rendering and machine learning to better capture facial expressions and features, the new Personas promise to look much more like you, moving beyond the “poorly rendered graphics of the past.”
For the first time, multiple Vision Pro users in the same room can interact with the same digital content simultaneously. This enables collaborative activities like watching 3D movies, playing spatial games, or working on projects together. Remote participants can also be included via FaceTime, creating a unified mixed-reality environment.
ALSO SEE: Apple WWDC 2025: AirPods Just Got Two New Features Enhancing Usability
AI-Powered ‘Spatial Scenes’
The new “Spatial Scenes” feature uses generative AI and computational depth to intelligently transform your standard 2D photos into multi-perspective experiences. This allows you to lean in and look around your images within the Photos app, Spatial Gallery, and even Safari, adding a surprising new dimension to your memories.
This feature is rolling out across other Apple services and apps inclduing Safari. As you scroll through articles, the browser can now reveal embedded spatial scenes. Furthermore, web developers can now embed 3D models directly into their pages, paving the way for truly immersive online shopping and Browse.
Additional visionOS 26 updates
Under the hood, visionOS 26 includes a host of updates for developers and power users:
- A new Protected API to keep confidential work materials secure.
- More intuitive eye-controlled navigation.
- Higher-fidelity 90Hz hand tracking.
- Support for new controllers, including the PS VR2 controller.
- Expanded support for wide field-of-view content from professional Insta360, GoPro, and Canon cameras.
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