Apple’s Vision Pro Gets a Reality Check with visionOS 26

New Avatars and Spatial Widgets Aim to Boost Adoption

Apple is pushing forward with its spatial computing ambitions, despite a lukewarm initial reception to the $3,499 Vision Pro headset. The upcoming visionOS 26 update focuses on refining core features, hoping to address early criticisms and entice a wider audience.

Personas Get a Major Overhaul

One of the most significant improvements in visionOS 26 centers around Personas – the digital avatars the headset generates to represent users in virtual meetings. Initial versions were widely mocked for their unrealistic and often unflattering depictions. Apple has completely redesigned the system, aiming for a more natural and lifelike appearance.

The updated Personas now render full head profiles, with improved hair textures and skin tones. Users can even add virtual eyewear that closely matches their real-world glasses, avoiding the awkward clipping issues of the previous iteration. Apple demonstrated the ability to record a personalized greeting through a third-party application.

While some “uncanny valley” effects remain – particularly in facial expressions and eye movements – the new Personas represent a substantial leap forward. They can be used for video calls or when others remotely join a user’s virtual space.

Widgets Anchor Users to Virtual Environments

visionOS 26 introduces spatial widgets, allowing users to pin applications like clocks, calendars, and music players to fixed locations within their physical environment. Apple achieves this by creating a private map of the user’s home, enabling the headset to remember widget placements even after reboots.

Imagine walking through your living room and seeing a digital photo frame acting as a window, revealing more of the image as you approach. Apple envisions users customizing their virtual spaces, pinning Safari to a home office and Apple TV to a bedroom, creating a seamless blend of physical and digital worlds.

This push for immersive integration comes as the augmented and virtual reality market continues to evolve. A recent report by Statista projects the global AR/VR market will reach $74.9 billion in 2025, highlighting the potential for growth despite current challenges (Statista, 2025).

A Vision of the Future, or Isolation?

Apple’s persistent focus on creating a fully immersive experience, even in the face of initial skepticism, is noteworthy. The company’s early marketing, including a clip of a father recording a spatial video with his children, drew criticism. Reports indicated that some partners, like the wife of one tester, found the experience isolating.

“Don’t get me wrong, there’s still some uncanny valley going on here—the facial expressions and eye movements are quite rigid—but it’s leaps and bounds better than what debuted on the Vision Pro last year.”

—Reporter Name, Tech Reviewer

Despite these concerns, Apple remains committed to its vision of a future where users seamlessly navigate between the physical and digital realms, even if it evokes comparisons to the virtual world depicted in Ready Player One.