San Jose, CA — The revolutionary Apple Vision Pro headset has made a huge step forward with the addition of Spatial Personas. During their test phase, these characters got mixed reviews, but now they’ve grown into a powerful way for Vision Pro headset users to work together.
Getting Past the Fourth Wall of Communication
Spatial Personas change the way video talks work. Vision Pro makes faces that look like real people inside the mixed reality glasses, instead of just flat pictures. Imagine talking to coworkers, friends, or family members as if they were right there in the room with you. As these digital models move around and interact with the real world12, the effect is both fascinating and a little creepy.
How Spatial Personas Work: The Key to Working Together: The first version of Personas could only be used on chat apps like FaceTime and Zoom. The new spatial version can be used on more than just video talks. When used with SharePlay, Apple’s own chat tool opens the door to other apps.
Placement in the room: When users choose the “spatial persona” choice, Vision Pro’s built-in sensors place the Persona in the user’s real-world surroundings. You can work with the Persona at your desk or on the couch, whether it’s for a work job or a movie night.
Spatial Audio: Spatial audio adds to the Persona’s sense of where they are in space. The sound changes as you move, making the experience more real.
Examples of Use and a Creepy Charm
Collaborations at work: Imagine two Personas standing on either side of a virtual window that shows Freeform. That’s how it feels to work together on a project at an office meeting table, even though you’re both at home.
Movie Nights and Games: Up to five people can watch movies or play games together. The shared experience makes the difference between the real world and the internet world seem less clear.
What Looks Strange
It’s hard for Vision Pro users to know whether to be amazed or scared when they use this new technology. The uncanny valley effect, in which real images make people feel both interested and uneasy, is still a part of early acceptance. But for people who are ready for the future, Spatial Personas show what interactive mixed reality13 will be like.
Apple’s Vision Pro keeps pushing the limits, and the supposed follow-up, Project Alaska, looks like it will have even more cool features4. The line between reality and fantasy gets blurrier as we learn more about spatial computing. This amazes and scares us at the same time.
