Apple rolled out its visionOS 2.4 update as a bit of a surprise Monday. It marks a significant spatial computing platform update, introducing Apple Intelligence features and new content discovery tools for Vision Pro users.
Apple Intelligence arrives on Vision Pro
The update brings the first wave of Apple Intelligence capabilities to Vision Pro, extending the company’s AI tools to its newest product category. These features are designed to help users communicate more effectively, improve their writing and express themselves creatively — all while maintaining Apple’s focus on privacy. This update significantly enhances the capabilities and content ecosystem of Vision Pro.
Among the most notable additions are Writing Tools, which allow users to refine text by rewriting, proofreading and summarizing content across various apps including Mail, Notes and compatible third-party applications. The Rewrite feature enables adjusting the tone of text to make it more friendly, professional or concise, while Proofread checks grammar, word choice and sentence structure. Users can also generate summaries of selected text in several formats.
For users seeking more extensive writing assistance, the Compose feature integrates ChatGPT to generate content based on user prompts. It’s accessible directly from the systemwide Writing Tools.
Image Playground and Genmoji
Creative expression gets a boost with Image Playground. It allows users to generate unique images from various themes, costumes, accessories and places. The feature can incorporate user-provided text descriptions. And it can even create images resembling friends or family members using photos from the user’s library. Image Playground is integrated into apps like Messages and Freeform and is also available as a standalone app.
Another creative addition is Genmoji. It lets users create original emoji by typing or speaking descriptions into the emoji keyboard. These custom emoji can be used inline in messages, shared as stickers, or sent as Tapbacks.
Photo: Apple
Apple streamlined communication with Smart Reply in Messages and Mail. It offers quick response suggestions and identifying questions to ensure comprehensive replies.
Photos app users will benefit from natural language search capabilities, making it easier to find specific photos or moments in videos through descriptive searches. The new Create a Memory Movie feature lets users generate custom movies by simply typing descriptions, with Apple Intelligence selecting appropriate photos and videos and arranging them into a narrative structure with themed chapters.
New content-discovery tools
The update introduces Spatial Gallery, a new app for Vision Pro that features curated spatial photos, videos and panoramas across categories including art, culture, entertainment, lifestyle, nature, sports and travel. At launch, users can access content from brands like Red Bull, Cirque du Soleil and Porsche, along with behind-the-scenes material from Apple Originals such as Severance, The Studio and The Morning Show. Musical content includes conversations with artists like Bad Bunny, Charli xcx, and Keith Urban.
Complementing this, Apple has launched the Apple Vision Pro app for iPhone, available with iOS 18.4. This app serves as a hub for discovering new spatial experiences, queuing apps and games for download, accessing tips and managing Vision Pro information from an iPhone. The app’s Discover page features recommendations for experiences and apps. The My Vision Pro section provides device information and tips. Users with vision correction needs can now store and view the App Clip code for their ZEISS Optical Inserts within the app.
Enhanced sharing and new content
Photo: Apple
The Guest User feature has received significant improvements. It lets users initiate sessions from nearby iPhones or iPads. Host users can now choose which apps are accessible to guests and start View Mirroring with AirPlay from their iPhone. That makes it easier to guide others through the Vision Pro experience.
Apple also expanded its immersive video content library. VIP: Yankee Stadium will premiere on April 4, offering an in-depth look at the legendary ballpark. Bono: Stories of Surrender, premiering May 30, provides insight into the personal experiences of the U2 frontman. This film will be available in both 2D and Apple Immersive Video formats.
Photo: Apple
Availability and privacy focus
The visionOS 2.4 update is available now as a free software update for all Apple Vision Pro users. The initial Apple Intelligence features are available for users with their device and Siri language set to U.S. English, with availability varying by region and subject to regulatory approval.
Consistent with Apple’s privacy-focused approach, Apple Intelligence uses on-device processing when possible and employs Private Cloud Compute for more complex tasks requiring larger models. Apple emphasizes that when using Private Cloud Compute. User data, never stored or shared with Apple, only gets used to fulfill specific requests. Independent experts can verify this through code inspection.
The Spatial Gallery app is automatically installed with visionOS 2.4 for users in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the UAE, the UK and the U.S. Users in other regions can download it from the App Store for Vision Pro.
Source: Apple
