More Resident Evil games are coming to Apple devices
Capcom announced that Resident Evil 7 is now available for preorder on supported Apple devices, and a version of the Resident Evil 2 remake is in development.
Emulators have changed the iPhone forever
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Apple Makes It Easier to Browse Vision Pro Apps Outside of the Headset
Searching for Vision Pro apps when not actually wearing the thing has been a hassle since day one. Now Apple has added a nifty new search function to its App Store web portal which makes it a lot easier to browse and download stuff.
Apple launched its Vision Pro web portal a while ago, but if you were left scratching your head looking for a search function, scratch no more. Now next to the ‘Arcade’ and ‘Apps & Games’ section is a link to a proper search bar, making it easier to find and download apps when outside the headset.
What’s more, you can also install apps to Vision Pro by finding one on the web when using an iOS device, hitting ‘Open in App Store’, then clicking ‘Get’. You’ll then see a message saying the app will download to your Vision Pro—no fuss, no muss.
Okay, not exactly no muss. At the time of this writing, it appears it only works for visionOS-exclusive apps, meaning if the app you’re trying to install equally supports iOS and Vision Pro, it will attempt to only download the iOS version to your phone, seemingly leaving you with no option to ask it to install it only to Vision Pro.
Granted, it’s a pretty big change from when Vision Pro launched back in February, when basically the only real way to browse the store was through the headset itself.
The post Apple Makes It Easier to Browse Vision Pro Apps Outside of the Headset appeared first on Road to VR.
A Nintendo emulator is Apple’s top downloaded app after ban reversal
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Assassin’s Creed Mirage comes to iPhones and iPads this June
Assassin's Creed Mirage makes it way to Apple devices with an M1 chip on June 6.
Apple Confirms Vision Pro is Launching in China This Year, Going Where Where Meta Can’t
Since its February 2nd launch, Vision Pro has been a US-only device, which means it only supports the US keyboard layout and emoji. Now Apple has confirmed that the international launch of Vision Pro is coming this year, which critically includes a launch in mainland China.
Update (March 25th, 2024): As reported by Reuters, speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing on Sunday, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed Vision Pro will hit the mainland China market sometime this year—when is still subject to speculation.
Considering Meta still has no appreciable presence in China due its products being blocked by that country’s government, this potentially gives Apple a valuable foothold in the Chinese domestic market for future releases. The original article detailing the first clues of the headset’s mainland China launch follows below:
Original Article (March 14th, 2024): According to code found by MacRumors, Apple may be soon preparing for Vision Pro’s much-awaited international launch, as 12 new languages are about to be added, one of which is simplified Chinese.
Like every other Apple device, Vision Pro needs to support a wide array of local languages if it plans to have to sort of broad international launch the Cupertino tech giant is known for.
As indicated by MacRumors, code found in Vision Pro’s 1.1 visionOS update shows 12 new languages are coming. Here’s the list of languages ostensibly soon to arrive on Vision Pro:
- Cantonese, Traditional
- Chinese, Simplified
- English (Australia)
- English (Canada)
- English (Japan)
- English (Singapore)
- English (UK)
- French (Canada)
- French (France)
- German (Germany)
- Japanese
- Korean
Apple hasn’t said exactly when it’s rolling out to other countries, or even which countries to expect from Vision Pro’s international release. The languages above however suggest it’s at least coming to Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Singapore, the UK, France, and Germany.
The inclusion of Simplified Chinese may also suggest the company is entering mainland China as well, where Apple already has a firm foothold with iPhone. Granted, Simplified Chinese is also commonly used in Malaysia and Singapore, whereas traditional Chinese script is used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
In contrast to its largest US-based competitor Meta, Quest 3 cannot be purchased in mainland China. A report from earlier this year maintained that talks between Meta and Chinese tech giant Tencent had stalled, which allegedly put hopes for a Chinese launch of Meta hardware on ice.
TikTok parent company ByteDance however could have a Vision Pro competitor launching within China fairly soon, as the company has reportedly scrapped its upcoming Pico 5 headset from XR subsidiary Pico Interactive in favor of a more director competitor to Vision Pro.
Meanwhile, a report from independent tech analyst Ming-Chi Kuo alleged Apple may be ramping production of Vision Pro, as Kuo predicts the company may launch in more countries sometime before WWDC this year, which is historically held in the first week of June.
The post Apple Confirms Vision Pro is Launching in China This Year, Going Where Where Meta Can’t appeared first on Road to VR.
Vision Pro Games Are Starting to Blend 3D with Flatscreen-native Gameplay
Apple announced that Vision Pro-native versions of two popular iOS games are coming to Apple Arcade next month, Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories, both of which put an immersive spin on inherently flatscreen gameplay.
Coming to Vision Pro on April 25th, Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories seem to highlight how the company is directly supporting development of games on its first XR headset. First, a look at the games for the uninitiated:
Crossy Road Castle, created by Hipster Whale, tasks players with platforming their way through an endlessly spinning tower. Collect Everything. Unlock Crossy Chicken and friends. Dress up in silly hats.
Launched in 2020, the co-op game originally targeted iPad, iPhone, and Apple TV, although the Vision Pro version is doing something a bit different. It still allows for co-op across those devices in addition to Vision Pro soon, but you’ll notice as you smash your way through levels, that coins and blocks fly out of the game’s window and onto the floor. The UI floats above makes full use of the free real estate too. Input is also entirely hand-tracking based.
Like Resolution Game’s Vision Pro-exclusive Game Box (2024), Solitaire Stories from Red Games on the other hand virtualizes solitaire by adding a new measure of three dimensions, putting the tabletop classic either into both an old timey-looking radio set sitting on your coffee table, or floating in the air in full 3D. Like Crossy Road Castle, Solitaire Stories is also a flatscreen native, supporting standard iOS devices and Apple TV when it launched on Apple Arcade in 2021.
At least from a modern VR gamer’s perspective, the company appears to be promoting game development through its third-party app creators in a distinctly ‘backwards‘ fashion. In contrast, Meta and Pico have typically encouraged studios to create or port games with an emphasis on immersive environments, and, in the case of mixed reality, gameplay that dynamically uses your room.
Notably, a majority of games Apple promotes with its Apple Arcade game subscription service aren’t exclusive to Vision Pro, with the two sole Vision Pro-only titles marked in bold below:
- Synth Riders by Kluge Interactive (also on Quest, SteamVR, PSVR 2)
- Super Fruit Ninja by Halfbrick Studios (Fruit Ninja also on Quest, SteamVR, PSVR)
- Jetpack Joyride 2 by Halfbrick Studios
- Wylde Flowers by Studio Drydock
- WHAT THE GOLF? by Triband
- LEGO Builder’s Journey by LEGO
- stitch. by Lykke Studios
- Game Room by Resolution Games
- Cut the Rope 3 by ZeptoLab
- Patterned by BorderLeap
- Illustrated by BorderLeap
- Bloons TD 6+ by Ninja Kiwi Games
Everything else, like Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories, started with 2D gameplay first, and then were later retrofitted to feel more at home in mixed reality. Granted, without controllers, which has stymied veteran VR developers from bringing their games to Vision Pro, it isn’t so much a ‘backwards’ move for Apple, but likely a different path of convergence.
Like with Samsung Gear VR, which was controlled by both a head-mounted touch pad and optional un-tracked touchpad remote, by default developers will need to engage users with the lowest of the low-hanging fruit first, which in both cases included cheap and cheerful titles that played squarely within the platform’s limitations. Still, it’s early days for Apple’s $3,500 headset, which should hopefully evolve the closer we get to its rumored second iteration.
– – — – –
Whether Apple ever plans to support more ambitious immersive projects with Apple Arcade remains to be seen. Even with support for more pro-focused controllers like the recently patented stylus-style XR controller, the company may continue to sideline gaming until it’s too big to ignore. Or possibly later.
The post Vision Pro Games Are Starting to Blend 3D with Flatscreen-native Gameplay appeared first on Road to VR.
New Vision Pro Update Adds Key Enterprise Features & Improved Personas
This week Apple released its first significant update for Vision Pro, visionOS 1.1, bringing key enterprise features like the ability to enroll and configure headsets at scale, visual improvements for Personas, and more.
After a number of beta iterations VisionOS 1.1 is now rolling out to the public. The new update for Vision Pro adds some key features for enterprises that want to use and manage a fleet of headsets:
Mobile Device Management
- Enables account-driven device and user enrollment using Managed Apple IDs
- Support for device configuration (Wi-Fi, VPN, email accounts, single sign-on, and more)
- Support for deploying apps in volume including iPhone and iPad compatible apps, visionOS apps included in a Universal purchase, and proprietary in-house visionOS apps
- Support for remote erase via MDM and device inventory data
The update also brings a round of visual improvements to Apple’s Persona avatars. The company still says the feature is in beta, and it’s clear that the wide release of the headset has given them ample feedback to work on.
Persona and EyeSight
- Adds an option to enroll your Persona hands-free
- Improves hair and makeup appearance
- Improves neck and mouth representation
- Improves rendering of the eyes for EyeSight
The remainder of the update mostly consists of polishing and bug fixes for various aspects of visionOS, including some tweaks to the keyboard and better reliability for finding and connecting to a Mac when used as a virtual display.
Virtual Keyboard
- Cursor positioning for text input is now more accurate
- Resolves some instances where the virtual keyboard placement obscures the text input field
- Fixes an issue where in some cases, the text preview on the virtual keyboard may appear out of sync with the text field in the app
- Fixes an issue where the edit menu may appear unexpectedly
Mac Virtual Display
- Improves the reliability of discovering and connecting to a Mac using Mac Virtual Display
- Resolves an issue where Universal Control may stop working
- Addresses a connectivity issue that occurs when a previously paid Bluetooth device cannot be found
Messages
- Adds support for iMessage Contact Key Verification
Accessibility
- Closed captions can be anchored to the playback control while viewing Applpe Immersive Video
Captive Network Support
- Ability to set up your device while using a captive Wi-Fi network such as those found at hotels, cafes, and airports
Surely this is just the start of improvements Apple will make to visionOS and Vision Pro through ongoing updates. We expect to hear more about the headset’s first major update at Apple’s WWDC conference which is typically held in June. And while that’s still a little far off, we’ve already got a list of improvements we want to see for the headset.
The post New Vision Pro Update Adds Key Enterprise Features & Improved Personas appeared first on Road to VR.
It’s not on the App Store: How to play Fortnite on iPhone and iPad
The most popular game in the world is no longer on the biggest gaming platform. But there are still ways to play Fortnite on your iPhone if you know the tricks.
I tried the Apple Vision Pro and saw the future, but don’t buy it yet
This past weekend, I went to the local Apple store and got a demo of the new Apple Vision Pro headset — the one where you’ll spend a minimum of $3,500 and more likely $4,000 if you buy it.
A few years ago, I traded my iPhone for an Android because Samsung released the Gear VR headset and Apple didn’t have anything similar in the pipeline.
I still miss my iPhone, but all the phone-based VR action has been on the Android side. However, Samsung dropped its Gear VR project, and Google stopped developing its Cardboard and Daydream View platforms.
So I’m open to going back to the Apple ecosystem, if there’s something worth switching for.
Is the Apple Vision Pro the reason to switch? No.
Was the demo educational? Yes, and I’m going to tell you what I learned.
And, at the end of this article, I’ll explain who should buy the headset now, and who should wait for two or three generations.
But first, why I’m not going to switch to the iPhone and buy an Apple Vision Pro, even though I cover tech so could deduct it as a business expense.
I can’t do my work on it
Even putting aside the fact that my work computers are all Windows, and the Vision Pro only pairs with Apple computers — and late-model computers at that — the headset itself isn’t optimal for prolonged use.
It’s heavy so you don’t want to wear it for hours. There’s no usable virtual keyboard — you’d need to use a physical keyboard, anyway. It’s hard to drink coffee in it. And you can’t attend Zoom meetings in it. Yes, you can Facetime — but only as a cartoon avatar.
And, of course, it doesn’t replace a computer. It’s an add-on to a computer. It’s basically a single external monitor for my computer. I already have two giant monitors, and the prices for monitors are ridiculously cheap now, anyway. If I wanted to upgrade a monitor, I’d just upgrade the monitor itself and not switch to a VR headset.
Still, the graphics are amazing. I enjoyed the almost-completely-realistic resolution of the display.
There’s no killer app
I didn’t see anything during the demo that I absolutely had to have, and would use all the time.
If there was a killer app, then maybe I’d get the headset, and then use the other stuff because I have the headset on all the time, anyway — might as well do everything in VR.
That’s what happened with smartphones. We got the smartphones because we needed a phone anyway. You can’t live without a phone. And once you have the phone, might as well use it as a camera, as a GPS, as an ebook reader, as a music player, as a note-taking app, as a calendar, and as a casual gaming device. Not to mention all the thousands of other apps you can use on a smartphone.
Will that happen with VR? No. Nobody is going to spend their life inside a VR headset.
It will happen with AR. I’m still totally convinced that AR glasses are the future. They will replace our phones, and, since we have the AR glasses on anyway, we’ll use them for work, we’ll use them for music and movies and games and social media and everything else.
But right now, we’re not there. The Apple Vision Pro wants to be there — it’s pass-through camera makes the device usable for augmented reality. But it’s not an always-on, always-with-you device. And until it is, we’ll still use all the other stuff.
It’s too expensive for just fun and games
Sure, there are a handful of games for the Vision Pro. And you can watch movies on a giant personal screen.
But there are far, far cheaper ways to play VR games, with much bigger selections. And there are already very cheap and lightweight glasses that let you watch movies if you want that kind of thing. Or you can just buy a slightly bigger TV. TVs are getting ridiculously cheap these days.
Also — I already own a big TV set. And I can watch my TV with other people. I can’t watch movies on the Vision Pro with other people.
Now, lets talk about what I learned about the future from getting this demo.
Seeing an overlay over reality is awesome
Yes, the Meta Quest has a pass-through camera but the video quality is lousy.
The Apple Vision Pro’s video quality is awesome. It’s almost like looking through a pane of glass. Not exactly glass — it fakes it with video — but close enough. I was extremely impressed.
And, Samsung showed off a transparent TV earlier this year.
So the idea of a transparent pair of glasses that can turn into AR or VR glasses on demand — it’s within reach. And these transparent glasses are going to be awesome for augmented reality. And we can replace our phones with these glasses.
If you want to see what that world will be like, go to the nearest Apple store and get your own Vision Pro demo.
The interface of the future will be gesture-based
Remember how, in The Minority Report, Tom Cruise moved images around with his hands?
That’s what the Vision Pro interface is like. They have cameras on the headset that can see your hands. In fact, even if my hand was hanging down by my side, it still registered if I made a pinching gesture.
No controllers necessary.
This will be great in the future when we wear smart glasses all the time because we won’t have to carry controllers around. The fewer things we have to carry around, the better.
But the big progress that Apple made with the interface is the eye-tracking. To click on something, you just look at it and pinch your fingers. That means that you don’t have to have your hands up in the air in front of you all the time. That would get tired. I mean, how long can Tom Cruise stand there, waving his arms around? No matter how fit you are, that’s going to get tiring.
And, like I said, you don’t need to raise your arm to make the pinching gesture. You can keep your hand down on your lap, or by your side, or on your desk.
You still need to raise your arms to resize windows, or to drag them around, but how often do you need to resize a window, anyway?
Who should buy the headset today
If you’re building an AR or VR platform for the future, you should definitely check out the Vision Pro and see what possibilities are offered by the pass-through camera and the eye-tracking-and-pinching control system.
But, unless your company is paying for the device, return it within the two-week period.
The only reason to keep it is if you are currently developing apps for the Apple Vision Pro. Then, you need the device to test your apps.
If you’re anyone else, buy a larger TV and computer monitor and a PlayStation VR or a Quest to play games on and you’ll still be around $3,000 ahead.
But do go and get a demo. It’s free, and it might give you some ideas for apps or business opportunities for a few years down the line.