Mark Gurman’s “Power On” newsletter reveals that Apple is looking to add support for standard VR game controllers on the Apple Vision Pro, potentially partnering with Sony for this initiative. This move aims to enhance the gaming experience on the Vision Pro, an area where it currently faces challenges.
According to Gurman, a future visionOS update will bring support for third-party hand controllers, although no specific timeline is mentioned:
Apple is embarking on a significant project to incorporate third-party hand controllers into the visionOS framework, collaborating with Sony Group Corp. to facilitate this integration.
Additionally, there are reports of Apple’s interest in utilizing the PlayStation VR2 controllers, with progress being made on this front:
Earlier this year, Apple approached Sony to collaborate on enabling support for the PlayStation VR2’s hand controllers on the Vision Pro. This undertaking has been in progress for several months at Sony, and Apple has engaged with third-party developers to encourage them to add this support in their games.
While the Apple Vision Pro does offer support for standard gaming controllers from Xbox and PlayStation for Apple Arcade titles, it has yet to embrace regular VR controllers, which limits the ability to enjoy many VR games on the device.
The report states that Apple has sold “fewer than half a million units” of the Vision Pro, and most users are engaging with it less than anticipated. Effective integration of VR gaming support could help drive sales up.
Despite the less than stellar sales figures, Apple plans to continue investing in the Vision Pro line. There’s no indication of a potential discontinuation in the near future, although the longevity of bulky headsets might be uncertain.
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