Apple is currently testing VisionOS 1.1, the first major update to the visionOS operating system that runs on the Vision Pro. visionOS 1.1 updates the characters, and multiple reports indicate that the software makes the characters look better than before. We thought we'd take a closer look folks at visionOS 1.1, and compare the update to the previous visionOS 1.0.2.
Personas are a key feature in Vision Pro, representing the user in video calls on FaceTime, Zoom, and other platforms. The characters are a digital representation of the Vision Pro wearer, captured using the headset itself. With Vision Pro, the wearer takes a 3D facial scan that captures facial structure, expressions, hand movements, and more. Apple describes a persona as an “authentic spatial representation” of a person.
Apple has released characters in beta, and it's not hard to see why with the characters that were shared in the initial builds of visionOS. Reviewers described the characters as “very strange”, “deep in the uncanny valley”, “silly” and “creepy”.
With visionOS 1.1, people enjoy more natural-looking eyes, improvements to skin tone, and more detail that adds realism, though Apple's scanning feature still struggles with hair.
Most characters are noticeably better with update 1.1, but Apple still needs to do a lot of work to eliminate the unnatural, other-worldly atmosphere that the virtual representations give. visionOS 1.1 is available to developers in beta now, and will likely launch in March alongside iOS 17.4.
The update also adds call key verification, support for resetting the headset without a PC, and mobile device management support.
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