Federico and John explore the new visionOS, discussing its hits and misses. They tackle eye tracking gestures, interactions, and compatibility with iPad Pro. They also introduce Crouton, an all-in-one recipe organizer compatible with visionOS.
VisionOS provides a sense of physicality and depth in UI, eye tracking feature feels like magic.
The lack of window persistence in VisionOS requires users to reconstruct their workspace, potential for integrating widgets for interactive UI elements.
Deep dives
Overview of VisionOS
VisionOS is a whole new platform that provides a sense of physicality and depth in its user interface. The pass-through video quality may be a bit disappointing, with washed-out colors and some fuzziness. However, the eye tracking feature feels like magic, allowing users to effortlessly interact with objects just by looking at them. The hand recognition, though interesting, is not a great experience for tapping buttons. The image quality on the displays is exceptional, with high definition and resolution. One miss in VisionOS is the lack of window persistence, making users reconstruct their workspace every time. Additionally, there is potential for widgets to be integrated into VisionOS, allowing for glanceable and interactive UI elements.
The Importance of Visual Grounding
Despite the pass-through video quality being less than ideal, the default experience of VisionOS is the right decision because it keeps users grounded in reality. The ability to place windows in front of you and feel like you're interacting with physical objects is a key aspect of VisionOS. Users can choose to work in immersive environments, but many prefer pass-through mode to stay connected to their surroundings. Eye tracking plays a crucial role in the interaction paradigm, allowing users to select objects with their gaze. Though there are occasional glitches, overall eye tracking feels like magic and shows Apple's expertise in building selection systems.
Missing Features in VisionOS
There are some missing features and limitations in VisionOS. The lack of a dedicated window manager is a significant drawback, as users have to manually arrange windows every time they put on the headset. Window persistence, where users can save and recall their preferred window configurations, would greatly enhance the user experience. Another missing aspect is system apps, such as a weather app, that could utilize the immersive capabilities of VisionOS. Additionally, the absence of widgets, despite Apple's focus on them, is surprising. Widgets could serve as glanceable and interactive mini windows, providing users with easy access to information and decluttering their workspace.
Vision Pro and its Impact on Device Usage
The Vision Pro has had a significant impact on device usage, particularly with the Mac and iPad Pro. Some users find themselves relying more on the Vision Pro, leading to decreased usage of the iPad Pro. The seamless integration between the Vision Pro and macOS, with features like virtual display mode and use of a Mac keyboard and trackpad, has made the Mac a preferable companion to VisionOS. However, the iPad Mini still serves a purpose for casual reading and watching videos before bed. The role of the Vision Pro raises questions about the future of the iPad Pro and the need for a virtual iPad display mode within VisionOS.
This week, Federico and John move on from hardware to explore visionOS, where it hits, where it misses, and what they’d like to see in the future from the OS.
