Apple’s essential focus at WWDC 25 might be on redesigns and iOS upgrades, however visionOS 26 ought to see a spread of quality-of-life adjustments and new gaming options for Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional. Here is what the rumor mill expects to see.
There have been comparatively few rumors round Apple’s spatial computing platform for WWDC 2025. As a substitute, every part is concentrated on how visionOS will encourage the design of each different working system.
That mentioned, the 2025 keynote ought to show to be an essential yr for visionOS 26. It is the primary full yr between releases since visionOS 2 was revealed simply 4 months after visionOS 1 launched.
There are only a few rumors about visionOS 26, however since iOS updates normally propagate throughout the ecosystem, there may be some thought of what to anticipate. Additionally, Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional customers know that there are many quality-of-life adjustments that may be made primarily based on a yr’s value of public suggestions.
visionOS 26 might emphasize spatial gaming
Since there is not going to be a redesign for visionOS, all eyes might be on options and app updates. There was a tiny pattern in rumors not too long ago that might point out the largest focus for visionOS 26 exterior of UI tweaks — gaming.
At a minimal, recreation controller cross by could be good
Apple has by no means had a powerful grasp of the gaming market, which was emphasised by Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional‘s preliminary reveal and launch. As a substitute of displaying off Beat Saber or Superhot, extremely standard VR video games, Apple confirmed a consumer taking part in NBA 2K in iPad compatibility mode with a bodily controller.
The gaming technique hasn’t advanced a lot since. A couple of VR video games launched on Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional which can be value making an attempt, like Crossy Highway Fortress, Sport Room, Job Simulator, or Thrasher, however Apple remains to be lacking a number of the largest video games in VR.
There are two causes for this — Meta and VR controllers. Apple must be doing every part in its energy to speak to Meta about getting its standard Meta Quest video games on Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, however that is a state of affairs exterior of Apple’s management.
The second problem is one thing rumors have prompt for some time might be coming. Apple is on the verge of unveiling compatibility for “spatial controllers.”
PSVR 2 controller help might assist Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional get extra video games
That appears to suggest help for one thing just like the PSVR 2 controller or third-party VR controllers. That small replace would open up VR gaming compatibilities and be a giant enhancement to gameplay.
For instance, if Beat Saber ever did arrive on Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, it could be an empty-feeling expertise the place customers flap their arms round with out haptics. Controllers let customers really feel like they’re really gripping the sabers, and so they vibrate after they react with the atmosphere.
Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional could possibly be an unbelievable, if costly, gaming platform with this easy addition. It is also essential for Apple to extend the gaming capabilities and expertise for Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, since that’s nonetheless the primary promoting level for VR headsets.
PlayStation VR and its successor failed as a result of Sony seemingly by no means did the legwork to carry various standard titles to its platform. There could possibly be a much bigger problem with Meta monopolizing studios, nevertheless it appears extra seemingly that prospects flocked to lower-priced, untethered Meta Quest {hardware}.
True VR gaming took a backseat within the first yr of Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional
Apple positioned Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional as a productiveness software that occurs to have the ability to play video games, which is its strategy for many of its {hardware}. Nonetheless, it could have a leg up on Meta that PSVR did not.
Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional is way more costly than Meta Quest, nevertheless it has the potential to supply a way more immersive all-in-one gaming expertise. The highly effective M2 processor and high-resolution shows make it the most effective VR experiences in the marketplace.
So, if Apple does something at WWDC 2025 with Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional and visionOS 26, it must be an emphasis on its gaming prowess. However {hardware} is not the one a part of the gaming story.
Apple Video games
There’s a rumor suggesting that Apple will reveal a brand new app centered on gaming, which we’re referring to as Apple Video games. It’s going to give Sport Middle a house, embrace social options that depend on FaceTime and iMessage, work as a recreation retailer, and it will launch video games.
Apple Video games might give a centralized dwelling to VR video games in visionOS
It appears the app is at the least coming to iPhone, iPad, and Mac at launch, nevertheless it wants to return to Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional as properly. If the app can work as a hub that helps customers uncover and launch new VR video games, it will assist elevate up the platform.
Such a hub would additionally assist emphasize Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional as a succesful gaming gadget. It might additionally implement issues like Personas with recreation chat and showcase distinctive gaming conditions on the platform.
Apple has been making different strikes within the gaming area, like buying the two-person recreation studio behind Sneaky Sasquatch. Let’s hope that 2025 is lastly the yr Apple will get severe about gaming.
iOS 26 options in visionOS 26
Since iOS 26 can have a major give attention to its redesign, there is not a lot that can make its strategy to visionOS. Nonetheless, customers ought to anticipate new Apple Intelligence options and different ecosystem tweaks to make their strategy to Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional.
Extra Apple Intelligence updates might come to visionOS
Rumors point out Apple is working to make Siri’s backend into an LLM. One of many major interactions on Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional is Siri, so that might imply a major impression on the platform.
Like Apple’s different vital efforts, the Siri chatbot seemingly will not launch till after the beginning of 2026. No matter type it takes, Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional customers ought to anticipate it to vary how they get issues carried out.
Present iOS options like Apple Sports activities and Journal might come to visionOS as properly. These apps do not work in visionOS but, however they could get a brand new model that is both an iPad app or full native visionOS app.
Anticipate updates to apps like iMessage, Images, TV, and others run by Apple to propagate to Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional as properly. One rumor signifies Messages will get stay translation and polls, whereas Apple Notes will get Markdown export.
visionOS 26 low hanging fruit
We’re out of rumors to report, however there are many apparent updates that ought to be coming to visionOS 26. Our earlier visionOS want checklist coated this, nevertheless it bears repeating a number of the extra grounded guesswork.
Plenty of faucet targets can confuse the attention monitoring system in visionOS
Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional customers ought to anticipate extra, if not all, of Apple’s apps to change into native visionOS apps. It was odd that Apple did not embrace extra when it introduced visionOS 2, and now a yr later, that quantity hasn’t elevated.
There additionally must be some give attention to how customers work together with the platform. Eyes aren’t at all times probably the most exact pointers, so giving customers extra skill to make granular UI alternatives could be useful.
Extra immersive environments are anticipated. Additionally, the Dwelling View could lastly get folders for improved group.
General, Apple wants to point out a dedication to creating visionOS a spot the place builders need to construct. Part of this can be by the ecosystem-wide redesign, thus making all apps simpler to port as a consequence of visible consistency.
There additionally must be extra APIs for builders so extra app varieties can exist. Apple might additionally do extra to assist builders convert their iPad and iPhone apps into native visionOS apps.
visionOS 26 and the longer term
Rumors counsel Apple is working to introduce some form of sensible glasses in 2026. If these glasses are going to have any form of interface, it will be visionOS.
visionOS could begin displaying indicators of its future in glasses
There could also be indicators included in visionOS 26 of Apple designing round different blended actuality gadgets. The final word objective for the legendary Apple Glass is to have a full 3D UI proven in clear lenses, however that is nonetheless just a few years away.
Apple’s preliminary sensible glasses could also be no extra advanced than Meta Ray-Bans, that are technologically no totally different than AirPods. Nonetheless, there is a tiny probability they may embrace a projected heads up show and cameras for photograph or video seize.
There is also hints in visionOS 26 about Apple’s work on a much less highly effective Apple Imaginative and prescient headset. Completely different scaling choices, decrease working necessities for some features, or different such adjustments might point out Apple is nearing the brand new product announcement.
Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional 2 and the lower-priced Apple Imaginative and prescient might arrive someday in 2026. It’s unlikely that Apple will reveal both mannequin throughout WWDC or too removed from their launch.
WWDC 25 begins on June 9 with a keynote at 1 p.m. Japanese. Apple will reveal visionOS 26 alongside the opposite refreshed working methods through a prerecorded video.
