Apple's latest visionOS 2.6 update brings significant improvements to the Vision Pro headset, but the tech community remains deeply divided about whether this expensive device represents the future of computing or an overpriced experiment. The update introduces enhanced Spatial Personas, geographic persistence, and new widget capabilities, yet discussions reveal fundamental concerns about the platform's viability.
visionOS 2.6 Major Features:
- Spatial Personas: Enhanced 3D avatars with better side-view rendering and improved hair/skin details
- Geographic Persistence: Windows and widgets remain in place after device reboots
- Widget Support: Third-party widgets can be anchored to physical surfaces
- PlayStation VR 2 Controller Support: Hand controller compatibility for gaming
- Spatial Browsing: 3D Safari reading mode with spatial image conversion
- 360-degree Video Support: Compatible with Insta360 and GoPro wide field-of-view formats
Enhanced Personas Still Face Limitations
The new Spatial Personas engine delivers more realistic 3D representations with better side-view rendering and improved hair and skin detail capture. However, users with beards continue to experience limited mouth movement, highlighting ongoing technical challenges. The improved personas now serve as the default option, moving away from the previous dead-eyed appearance that many found unsettling.
Geographic Persistence Addresses Core Usability Issues
One of the most significant updates tackles a major user frustration: items and windows now remain where users place them, even after the device reboots. This geographic persistence feature enables widgets to stay anchored to physical surfaces like walls, making the experience more practical for daily use. The community sees this as essential groundwork for future AR glasses, where spatial memory will be crucial.
Price and Form Factor Remain Major Barriers
Community discussions consistently return to two fundamental problems: the $3,500 USD price tag and the bulky helmet design. Many users express interest in the technology but cannot justify the cost for what they see as a first-generation product. Others question whether the current form factor will ever achieve mass adoption, regardless of price reductions.
The thing is that VR headsets don't offer very much new in exchange for what they lose, which is a lot.
Vision Pro Key Specifications & Pricing:
- Price: $3,500 USD
- Display: 3660x3200 pixels per eye at 90-100hz
- Estimated sales: ~500,000 units
- Companies using device: "Hundreds" according to Apple
- Weight: Significantly heavier than competitors like Bigscreen Beyond 2 (107g)
Mixed Reception for Practical Applications
While some users praise the device for work applications, particularly the ultrawide monitor functionality for travel, others find it impractical for daily coding or extended use. The weight and comfort issues, combined with social awkwardness of wearing the device in public, limit its appeal as a laptop replacement. Gaming support through PlayStation VR 2 controllers shows promise but remains largely untested.
Future Outlook Divides Community Opinion
The community splits between those who see the Vision Pro as necessary groundwork for future AR glasses and skeptics who question the entire concept. Supporters argue that Apple needs to iterate publicly to develop the software ecosystem and refine the technology. Critics contend that fundamental limitations make the approach flawed, comparing it unfavorably to lighter, cheaper alternatives from other manufacturers.
With an estimated 500,000 units sold and hundreds of companies reportedly using the device, the Vision Pro occupies an unusual position as both a commercial product and what many consider an expensive public prototype. Whether visionOS 2.6's improvements can address core adoption barriers remains to be seen as Apple continues pushing toward its vision of spatial computing.
Reference: visionOS 26 keeps pushing Apple's newest platform toward the future