Apple Unveils visionOS 26 Beta 5: Spatial Features Take Center Stage

The evolution of Apple’s spatial computing vision accelerates. Apple has seeded visionOS 26 Beta 5 to registered developers, marking the fifth iteration in the testing cycle for the upcoming major update to the Vision Pro operating system. While iOS, iPadOS, and macOS counterparts have entered public beta, Vision Pro testing remains exclusive to developers, building anticipation for features designed to deepen immersion and interaction within Apple’s $3,499 spatial computer ecosystem.

This update, reported by BGR on July 15, 2024, signifies a crucial step towards maturing the platform since the Vision Pro’s landmark launch earlier in the year. visionOS 26 Beta 5 focuses heavily on enhancing how users perceive and interact with digital elements anchored in their physical space, alongside significant refinements to core features like Personas.

What’s New in visionOS 26 Beta 5?

The latest beta introduces a suite of features leveraging the Vision Pro’s unique capabilities, pushing beyond traditional screen-bound interfaces:

• Spatial Widgets Revolution: Users can now place widgets anywhere in their physical environment. Crucially, these widgets persist in their chosen location even after the Vision Pro is powered off. Developers gain new tools to customize widget appearance, including frames, width, color, and depth, fostering seamless integration of digital tools into real-world workflows.
• Spatial Scenes Powered by AI: Apple utilizes generative AI and computational depth processing to transform standard 2D photos into immersive Spatial Scenes. This allows users to relive memories in three dimensions, a feature particularly poignant for older photos not originally captured in Live Photo format.
• Enhanced Spatial Browsing: Safari receives upgrades aimed at improving the reading experience within the spatial environment. Native playback support for 180-degree and 360-degree video content directly within news articles and websites is a key addition, unlocking richer multimedia consumption.
• Shared Spatial Experiences: Perhaps the most socially significant update, visionOS 26 Beta 5 lays groundwork for users in close physical proximity (both wearing Vision Pro headsets) to share experiences. This includes collaborative workspaces, synchronized 3D movie viewing, multiplayer gaming sessions, and more immersive FaceTime calls, moving beyond simple video sharing.

Alongside these spatial advancements, Apple has officially moved the Personas feature out of beta within visionOS 26. The new Personas offer dramatically improved realism – they are significantly more expressive, sharper, and crucially, now render a full side profile view. Enhancements to hair rendering, eyelashes, and skin complexion accuracy contribute to more lifelike digital representations during video calls.

Why Beta 5 Matters for Vision Pro’s Future

The features highlighted in visionOS 26 Beta 5 underscore Apple’s commitment to refining the core promise of the Vision Pro: seamlessly blending the digital and physical worlds. Persistence of Spatial Widgets and the creation of Spatial Scenes move towards a vision where the user’s environment becomes a persistent, personalized digital canvas. Shared Spatial Experiences address a major early critique – the isolating nature of headset use – by enabling new forms of co-presence and collaboration.

visionOS 26 Beta 5 demonstrates tangible progress in making spatial computing more practical, expressive, and social. As developers test these capabilities, anticipation builds for the public release expected this fall, promising Vision Pro users a significantly more powerful and integrated spatial computing experience that further blurs the lines between the real and the virtual. The future of personal computing is spatial, and Apple is pushing its boundaries with every beta release.

Must Know

1. How can I try visionOS 26 Beta 5?
   Currently, visionOS 26 Beta 5 is only available to developers enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. Apple has not yet released a public beta for visionOS 26. Developers can access the beta via the Apple Developer portal and install it on their Vision Pro headset.
2. What are the biggest features in this beta?
   Key features include persistent Spatial Widgets users can place in their environment, Spatial Scenes (AI-converted 3D photos), enhanced Spatial Browsing in Safari with 180/360 video support, and foundational work for Shared Spatial Experiences allowing co-located Vision Pro users to share apps, movies, or calls.
3. When will visionOS 26 be released to everyone?
   Apple typically releases major OS updates in the fall, coinciding with new iPhone launches. Based on this pattern and the current beta cycle, the stable public release of visionOS 26 is expected around September or October 2024.
4. Is the Persona feature improved?
   Yes. visionOS 26 officially moves Personas out of beta. The updated Personas are significantly more expressive, sharper, and now include a full side profile view. Improvements to hair, eyelashes, and skin complexion contribute to a much more realistic appearance during video calls.
5. Do I need another Vision Pro user for Shared Experiences?
   Yes, the Shared Spatial Experiences feature highlighted in the beta requires that another person, physically near you, is also using an Apple Vision Pro headset running the compatible software. This enables shared viewing, gaming, or collaboration within the same physical space.
6. Will Spatial Scenes work with all my old photos?
   While Apple uses AI to generate depth, results will vary depending on the original photo’s quality, lighting, and subject matter. Photos with clear subjects and distinct foreground/background elements generally yield the best Spatial Scene conversions.