Apple Vision Pro ‘EyeSight’ External Display Revealed

Apple has recently shared its VisionOS Beta 6, and along with the release, there’s an interesting video showing how users can create avatars by scanning their faces with the Vision Pro cameras. 

But while facial scanning to create avatars might not be all that remarkable, where the video gets interesting is where it shows how Apple will use the external display. The headline here is that it will show the user’s eyes exactly as they are “through” the headset. 

Dubbed “EyeSight”, this is a first for XR headsets. Anyone in the same room as the headset user will be able to tell whether the user is actually looking at them or is in a fully immersive environment and can’t see the real world.

Let’s have a look at Apple’s new cool XR innovation in more detail and find out what it might be used for. 

How Does EyeSight Work?

Although it might look real, the EyeSight display won’t show the user’s actual face. Instead, it will project the user’s Vision Pro avatar, which Apple is calling a ‘Persona’.

Apple gets around this by using a stereoscopic display along with some carefully planned visual tweaks that alter the colour and blur areas. This hides the lower resolution of the avatar. 

The user’s avatar is created using the headset’s cameras and includes several views of their face. This is revealed in a video for developers and is accessible in the files that come with the VisionOS Beta 6. The video runs developers through how the display works, including the scanning process and how it can help guide the user. 

What Else Could the External Display Help With?

The external display can also provide other useful information to the user while the headset is not being worn. The display could light up to show downloads are complete, that the battery is low, or a FaceTime call is incoming. 

Apple could use the display for all kinds of things, but it’s unlikely they’ll waste this effective innovation on anything as mundane as just a notification screen. While the display could also show some futuristic images, Apple will probably steer away from anything unnecessary and keep its use for more organic features.

What Would You Like to See?

Apple’s new Visio Pro external display is something new for XR headsets, and there are probably lots of great use cases. In the months running up to the headset’s release, developers will no doubt work hard to find novel ways to showcase the technology and enhance their own apps and games. 

What would you like to see Apple and the developers use this display for? Let us know in the comments below.