Apple’s $3,499 Vision Pro headset, comes packed with intriguing hidden features, and one of them is the newly discovered “Travel Mode.”
Found within the first developer beta of visionOS, this feature aims to optimize the user experience while on board an airplane. By addressing the unique challenges presented by the enclosed space and environmental factors of an aircraft cabin, Travel Mode promises to ensure a smoother and more enjoyable VR experience for Apple Vision Pro users.
Some Vision Pro features like digital personas may be unavailable in Travel Mode
Text strings uncovered in the initial developer beta of visionOS (via MacRumors) provide insights into the functionality of Travel Mode. The prompts indicate the following key aspects:
- Are you on an airplane?
- If you’re on an airplane, you’ll need to keep Travel Mode on to continue using your Apple Vision Pro.
- Remain stationary in Travel Mode.
- Remain stationary while this mode turns off.
- Some awareness features will be off.
- The current fit may reduce gaze accuracy.
- Turn on Travel Mode when you’re on an airplane to continue using your Apple Vision Pro.
- Your representation is unavailable while Travel Mode is on.
Travel Mode appears to be tailored to address the specific constraints of an airplane cabin. To ensure a seamless experience, certain awareness features relying on spatial awareness might be disabled or scaled down. This adjustment aims to prevent erratic or inaccurate behavior caused by the proximity to other passengers and limited space. Additionally, the unavailability of digital personas suggests that representations such as avatars might not be accessible in Travel Mode.
The reduction in gaze accuracy mentioned in the text strings indicates that the headset’s position might be slightly compromised due to the seated position during a flight. However, Travel Mode likely makes compensatory adjustments to maintain functionality despite these constraints.
The prompt to “Remain stationary in Travel Mode” serves as a safety precaution, ensuring that users do not engage in potentially dangerous or disruptive movements while in the airplane environment, respecting fellow passengers’ personal space and comfort.
As Travel Mode is currently in beta, further refinements and additional features are expected before its official release to the general public.
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