Zoom is coming to the Vision Pro headset and your meetings could get weird
With Apple's highly anticipated Vision Pro shipping on February 2, it's a big week for the XR/VR headset market. Zoom is capitalizing on the hype by unveiling its own Apple Vision Pro app, which has the potential to revolutionize video calls.
On Monday, Zoom unveiled its new app designed for Apple Vision Pro which will allow users to experience Zoom video calls in a more "real-world, immersive environment," according to the video conferencing vendor.
Also: 10 reasons the Apple Vision Pro is secretly brilliant
With the Zoom app in visionOS, users will be able to experience several new conferencing features -- including Personas and Spatial Zoom -- that promise to transform how call participants interact with each other.
With Personas, Apple Vision Pro users are represented in a call by "an authentic spatial representation of themselves" which allows other call participants to see their facial and hand movements despite not having a camera pointed at them.
The Spatial Zoom experience allows Apple Vision Pro users to scale the call to the most appropriate size; they can enlarge the call and experience it as if they were in the same room as their colleagues, or make it smaller to accommodate their workspace setup.
"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," said Smita Hashim, Zoom's chief product officer.
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The company also plans to add new features for Zoom on Apple Vision Pro in the spring, including 3D object sharing, which will enable headset users to share and experience 3D files with the headset; an integration on Zoom Team Chat; and real-world pinning, which will enable users to pin up to five participants anywhere in their physical space.
This Zoom announcement is significant because it further positions the Vision Pro as a device that professionals can use to transform and optimize their workflow. After all, Zoom calls are often regarded as one of the most tedious parts of the workday, and nearly everyone could benefit from a more enjoyable, immersive experience.
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The Zoom app for Apple Vision Pro will be available for download from the App Store starting on February 2, when the headset launches. ZDNET has secured a headset, so stay tuned for hands-on experiences, as well as an in-depth review.