Zoom unveils immersive app for Apple’s Vision Pro headset

Zoom has just unveiled its videoconferencing app designed especially for Apple’s Vision Pro mixed-reality headset, which launches this Friday.

The aim of the app is to “seamlessly blend videoconferencing with user’s physical space,” Zoom said on Monday, “blurring the lines of in-person and remote meetings with the infinite canvas on Apple Vision Pro, helping distributed teams feel more connected and included.”

But what does that actually mean? Well, for example, the new Zoom app for Vision Pro will let you deploy your “persona,” an authentic spatial representation — or digital avatar — of yourself so that others in the virtual meeting can see your facial and hand movements and aren’t left staring at a face-obscuring headset.

Available from the Vision Pro App Store, the new Zoom app will also let you enjoy an immersive experience that can be scaled to the ideal size, which, Zoom says, is great for those wanting “to feel like they’re in the same room as their colleagues and customers, without the need for additional physical equipment or setup.”

Coming in the spring are three additional and rather nifty features. They include, for example, real-world pinning, where the Vision Pro wearer will be able to pin up to five Zoom meeting participants anywhere in their physical space, with the ability to also remove the background of the pinned participants.

Additionally, 3D object sharing promises that the experience of sharing files “will come to life when seeing objects in the context of an environment. For instance, an animator or game designer could collaborate and share the latest character model via Zoom’s 3D object sharing capabilities.”

Commenting on the new app, Smita Hashim, chief product officer at Zoom, said the software will help teammates “stay connected no matter when and where they work, or how they communicate and collaborate.” Hashim added: “The integration of Zoom on Apple Vision Pro and visionOS extends our platform promise of allowing participants the ultimate meeting experience from anywhere and delivers on our commitment of seamless collaboration and communication.”

It’s good to see that Zoom has taken the time to create a tailor-made app for the Vision Pro, especially when many major platforms have so far declined to do so. YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify, for example, have all said that they have no current plans to create bespoke apps for the Vision Pro, or even to convert their existing iPad and iPhone apps for the device.

Here’s a look at some of the notable Vision Pro apps that we do know are on their way.

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