Apple Vision Pro Gains Controller Support and Enhanced Personas

Apple’s Vision Pro headset, a $3,500 spatial computing device, is carving its niche in the XR market with the latest visionOS 26 update. While Apple didn’t design dedicated controllers for the Vision Pro, it now supports third-party peripherals, including the PlayStation VR2 Sense controllers and Logitech pen, enhancing precision and immersion for users.

One of the standout features introduced is eye-scrolling, which leverages the headset’s eye-tracking capabilities to navigate content like web pages and PDFs without manual gestures. This innovation reduces user fatigue and streamlines interaction within the spatial environment.

Apple also unveiled new AR widgets designed specifically for the Vision Pro’s spatial interface. These widgets can be placed against virtual walls and feature subtle 3D effects, such as a faux window displaying panoramic photos, enriching the immersive experience and expanding creative possibilities.

The update improves the much-discussed Personas feature, which creates lip-synced 3D avatars for FaceTime and other apps. The new designs offer more lifelike textures on hair and eyes, addressing earlier criticisms of their waxy, lifeless appearance and making virtual interactions feel more natural.

While the Vision Pro’s hand-tracking supports basic gestures like pinching and fist orientation, these controls fall short for complex VR gaming. The addition of third-party controller support is a game-changer, enabling six degrees of freedom and haptic feedback, which can transform the headset into a more versatile gaming platform.

This opens the door for ports of popular VR titles and new game experiences, such as the pickleball simulator Pickle Pro. Enthusiasts even envision streaming PC VR games like Half-Life: Alyx via Steam Link, taking advantage of the Vision Pro’s twin 4K micro-OLED displays and wide field of view.

Despite these advancements, the Vision Pro still faces challenges, notably a lack of abundant active content and first-party controllers. Apple has produced exclusive passive content, including films and immersive videos, but the platform’s gaming and interactive app ecosystem remains limited compared to competitors.

The Vision Pro also benefits from new guest account features and the ability to extend Mac screens into AR space as ultrawide monitors, showcasing practical productivity enhancements alongside entertainment.

In summary, Apple’s Vision Pro is evolving steadily with visionOS 26, balancing innovative input methods like eye-tracking and third-party controller support with improved avatars and AR widgets. While it may not yet be the ultimate VR gaming device, it’s a promising platform for spatial computing and mixed reality applications.