Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote may have seemed relatively quiet on the Vision Pro front, but the visionOS 27 beta contains a decent amount of new features and quality of life improvements that are likely to be welcomed by the headset's user base.
As you'd expect, visionOS 27 is getting the new Apple Intelligence and Siri AI features that Apple has brought to iOS 27 and macOS 27, but this time they feel more seamlessly integrated into the platform compared to previous efforts. For example, Vision Pro users can ask Siri about anything in their surroundings, and using Visual Intelligence, the assistant will see and interpret it in real time, identifying the content, answering questions about it, and providing contextual information to boot.
Interacting with Apple's Siri is achieved via a new 3D orb that users can place anywhere in their virtual space, and just looking at the widget is enough to start a conversation – no "Hey Siri" needed. A new Siri app also makes it easier to revisit previous interactions and continue conversations.
Curved windows in visionOS 27
Below is a summary of what else is new in visionOS 27:
- Panoramas as environments: Panorama photos can now be turned into immersive spatial environments. Rather than viewing panoramas as flat images, users can step into them and experience added depth and realism, making photos and landscapes feel more lifelike.
- Curved app windows: Apps such as Safari, Freeform, and Apple TV now take advantage of new curved window layouts that wrap content around a user's field of view. The feature is designed to create a more immersive workspace and make better use of Vision Pro's virtual display area.
- Faster Wi-Fi: Apple says visionOS 27 significantly improves wireless performance, with supported networks delivering speeds up to three times faster than before.
- Safari 3D environments: A new Web Environments feature means developers can now use a new immersive API to launch users into a full 360-degree environment from within Safari. Apple says these environments can completely surround a user's physical space, making browsing feel more like a native Vision Pro experience.
- Redesigned Control Center: Control Center has been reorganized with dedicated sections for notifications and media playback, system controls, and immersive environments. The redesign aims to make common controls easier to find and reduce the number of steps required to access frequently used settings.
- Smaller widgets: A new extra-small widget size allows users to place more widgets throughout their physical space without overwhelming their environment. The additional size option gives users greater flexibility when placing clocks, weather widgets, photos, and other persistent spatial content.
- Glance-to-expand notifications: Notifications will now automatically expand when a user looks at them, thereby reducing the need for hand gestures or manual interaction. The feature means quicker access to information, while remaining in line with visionOS's eyes-first interaction model.
- Spatially preview your Mac: Mac owners can now preview and edit 3D models from their laptop directly in visionOS, while Quick Look enhancements allow for annotations to be added directly to 3D models.
- New Environment: Apple has added a new immersive environment based on Thórsmörk, a nature reserve in Iceland known for its dramatic mountains, valleys, and glaciers. Users can select the environment as a virtual backdrop for work and entertainment, just like the existing environments.
- Developer enhancements: Apple is introducing new frameworks, APIs, and tools to help developers build more advanced spatial experiences. The updates include RealityKit improvements, Environment Occlusion for more realistic blending of virtual and physical objects, enhanced asset rendering technologies, updates to Reality Composer Pro 3, and improvements for popular game engines.
The new Control Center design for visionOS 27
The visionOS 27 developer beta is available now, ahead of the software's full release this fall. Apple says Siri AI will begin rolling out later this year as a beta feature and will initially support English only. However, unlike on iPhone and iPad, where Siri AI will not be available at launch in the European Union, Vision Pro users in the EU will have access to the feature from day one.
Article Link: visionOS 27: Siri AI, Eye-Aware Notifications, Curved Windows, and More
