Sunday Snaps #10
Apple finally launches its Mixed Reality Headset
It is the first spatial computer from Apple, and it features an ultra-high-resolution display system, an advanced Spatial Audio system, and a dual-chip design.
The ultra-high-resolution display system packs 23 million pixels across two displays, more than a 4K TV for each eye. This allows for a stunningly immersive VR experience.
The dual chip design consists of the M2 chip and the R1 chip. The M2 chip provides phenomenal performance, while the R1 chip processes sensor data at incredible speed, virtually eliminating lag. This allows for a smooth and responsive VR experience.
Apple Vision Pro is a powerful and versatile VR headset that can be used for a variety of purposes, including gaming, entertainment, and productivity. It is sure to revolutionize the way we interact with VR and the way we use our computers.
Apple partners with Unity to make experiences that power Vision Pro
Apple is working with Unity, along with other companies like Adobe, Cisco, and Microsoft, to build a third-party ecosystem of apps for the Vision Pro headset. Apple's Vice President of Worldwide Developer Relations, Susan Prescott, highlighted the collaboration during Apple's keynote, emphasizing the integration of popular Unity-based games and apps with VisionOS features.
This enables developers to create new and existing apps and games for the spatial computing platform.
Shares of Unity surged by 26% after Apple announced the collaboration and this led to a temporary halt in Unity trading and marked the company's largest stock jump since its initial public offering in 2020.
macOS Sonama has some crazy features going for it
Apart from normal incremental things like being able to reply with a swipe, better sticker organisation, PDF auto-fill, and better security among other things, macOS Sonama utilises machine learning to power some brand-new features never seen before.
When sharing your screen, the new Presenter Overlay keeps you engaged in the conversation. The large overlay keeps the spotlight on you, with your screen framed next to you on a separate layer. You can move, walk, and talk in front of your content.
Augmented Reality powered Reactions
Macs for Gaming?
Apple has unveiled the Game Porting Toolkit at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), aimed at making it easier and faster for developers to bring their PC games to macOS.
The toolkit eliminates upfront work, allowing developers to quickly assess how well their games can run on Mac. It simplifies the process of converting shaders and graphics code to optimize for Apple silicon performance, reducing development time.
The toolkit includes an emulator that can run Microsoft's DirectX12, enabling developers to add graphics effects not natively available on Macs. Apple also introduced a "Game Mode" in macOS Sonoma, optimizing gaming performance by prioritizing CPU and GPU resources and improving audio and input latency.
Apple Developer Beta is now free to sign up for
Apple is now allowing anyone with an Apple ID to download and test developer beta versions of its operating systems, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
Previously, access to developer betas required a $99-a-year fee for Apple's developer program. However, after accidentally making the developer beta available to all users, Apple updated its support page to clarify that anyone with an Apple ID can now download these early versions.
It is important to note that developer betas are often unstable and can cause disruptions, so it is not recommended to install them on primary devices.
Apple acquires Mira, an AR hardware startup, ahead of the launch of Vision Pro
Apple has acquired Mira, an augmented reality (AR) headset startup, for an undisclosed amount.
Mira, founded in 2016, specializes in creating AR headsets and software for consumer apps, games, and experiences. The startup received $17 million in funding from investors before the acquisition. While initially focused on consumer applications, Mira later shifted its focus towards industrial rollouts, potentially a more lucrative market. Mira had military contracts with the U.S. Air Force and Navy, and it remains unclear whether those contracts will continue under Apple's ownership.
The acquisition comes after Apple recently unveiled its Vision Pro headset, its first venture into AR. The involvement of Jony Ive, a former Apple product designer, as an advisor to Mira at one point suggests a potential connection between Mira and Apple's AR plans.
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