Initially, the Apple Vision Pro will miss some major native apps, including , . A notable application that users of the mixed reality headset will have access to when it is Zoom, which will support Vision Pro's Persona feature.
Vision Pro users will be able to create digital versions of themselves. If you said Persona, others on a Zoom or FaceTime call will be able to see your facial expressions and hand movements through your avatar. So even if you're not using a traditional webcam, other people might notice your personality cringing at one of your boss's bad jokes.
, the app's spatial experience can be “scaled to the perfect size,” so it shouldn't feel like you're miles away from someone's Persona. Although Vision Pro users will be represented as a Persona (if they choose to be), those joining the call from other devices will be represented as a floating tile.
Zoom will be one of the first major third-party applications to use this technology. Apple said Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex are also joining the party. The company claims that setting up a Persona with a Vision Pro only takes a few minutes.
More features will be added to the Zoom app this spring. You will be able to share 3D object files and view them in a virtual space via Vision Pro. Team Chat is also coming to the app, as is a tool called pinning in the real world. Zoom says you'll be able to use it to pin five meeting participants anywhere in the virtual space and have the option to remove their background. The company suggests this will help Vision Pro users “feel more connected to the people in the meeting.”
While Zoom may not be the most interesting app for those who choose a Vision Pro primarily for entertainment purposes, it's interesting to see what third-party companies are starting to do with this technology. A Zoom call might not be much different from a FaceTime chat right off the bat, but adding features like 3D object sharing could make it a more intriguing prospect for mixed reality use.