My Virtual Avatar No Longer Looks Terrible in the Apple Vision Pro

By Admin

12 Jun, 2025

When Apple unveiled the $3,499 Vision Pro mixed reality headset in early 2024, it made waves but not quite the ones Apple hoped for. The headset, while innovative, failed to generate much public excitement beyond the initial hype. From awkward-looking avatars to clunky user experiences, the Vision Pro seemed more like a tech demo than a must-have product. But now, Apple is back with a new upgrade visionOS 26, and things are finally looking a little less... uncanny.

The Persona Glow-Up: A Major Leap Forward

If you tried creating a Persona last year, you probably remember the awkward, robotic avatar that barely resembled you. My own experience was downright embarrassing jumping into Zoom calls only to be greeted with laughter. My digital twin looked rigid, the hair was unnaturally matte, and the overall experience felt incomplete.

Fast forward to visionOS 26, and Apple has significantly leveled up its avatar game. The revamped Personas are much more realistic, capturing more accurate skin textures, improved hair modeling, and full side-profile views of your head. Even virtual accessories are better now I added digital glasses that mimicked my real ones without any weird clipping or odd angles.

There’s still a bit of the uncanny valley effect, particularly with facial expressions and eye movements, but overall, it's a huge improvement. You’ll still notice some stiffness, but it’s now good enough to use confidently for video calls or remote virtual hangouts.

Spatial Widgets: Turning Your Home into a Smart Virtual Playground

Another new feature in visionOS 26 is the introduction of Widgets and it’s surprisingly cool. Apple has created a system that lets you pin widgets like clocks, calendars, and music players around your home. Thanks to the AVP’s private spatial mapping of your living space, these widgets stay exactly where you place them even after rebooting the device.

As I walked through my home wearing the headset, I saw widgets scattered across various rooms like digital breadcrumbs. A photo frame in the hallway acted as a virtual window; the closer I got, the more of the image I could see. It felt like my space was becoming part of a living interface my home, enhanced by mixed reality.

Living in visionOS: A Strange But Growing Idea

Apple’s vision for the Vision Pro is clear: it wants you to live in visionOS. From watching movies with friends (each wearing their own headset) to collaborating on 3D objects in shared virtual rooms, the company is encouraging a new kind of tech immersion. During the latest WWDC keynote, they showcased people lounging on a couch, both wearing headsets to watch a movie together. It's... a choice. (Has anyone at Apple heard of a TV?)

The underlying push is to make the Vision Pro feel like a natural extension of your home one where you pin Safari in the office and Apple TV in the bedroom. The headset remembers it all and reconstructs your setup each time you power it on.

Still an Uphill Battle for Apple

Despite the advancements, it’s hard to ignore that the Vision Pro hasn’t caught on. Many early adopters expressed regret, and family members like my own spouse were never thrilled about the clunky headset becoming part of daily life. Yet, Apple remains undeterred. The company is reportedly developing a cheaper and possibly lighter version of the Vision Pro, expected in late 2025 or 2026. Rumors also suggest Apple is exploring smart glasses, which may appeal to a broader audience.

Final Thoughts

The Vision Pro still isn't a device for the masses, but it’s getting closer. With visionOS 26, Apple has addressed some of the most glaring issues especially the cartoonish Personas and brought genuinely useful spatial tools into the mix. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress. Whether or not that’s enough to win over the mainstream remains to be seen, but for now, at least, my virtual avatar no longer looks terrible.