Apple’s much-anticipated Vision Pro headset seems to hold many surprises. One of these is the Travel Mode, discovered in the initial developer beta of visionOS. Tailored specifically for air travel, Travel Mode aims to counter the difficulties presented by the constrained space and environmental factors inside an airplane cabin, promising a smoother, more enjoyable VR experience for Vision Pro users.
Text strings found in the initial developer beta of visionOS offer some insights into Travel Mode’s functionality. According to MacRumors, the prompts include:
- “Are you on an airplane?”
- If you’re on an airplane, you’ll need to keep Travel Mode on to continue using your Apple Vision Pro.
- “Remain stationary in Travel Mode.”
- “Some awareness features will be off.”
- “The current fit may reduce gaze accuracy.”
- “Turn on Travel Mode when you’re on an airplane to continue using your Apple Vision Pro.”
- “Your representation is unavailable while Travel Mode is on.”
It appears Travel Mode has been designed to address the specific limitations posed by the cabin of an airplane. To ensure a seamless experience, certain spatial awareness-based features might be disabled or scaled back. This is likely to prevent erratic or inaccurate behavior resulting from the proximity to other passengers and the limited space available.
The prompts also indicate that digital representations, such as avatars, might not be accessible when Travel Mode is engaged.
The mention of a potential reduction in gaze accuracy suggests that the seated position during a flight might compromise the headset’s positioning. However, Travel Mode likely adjusts to these constraints to maintain optimal functionality.
The advice to “Remain stationary in Travel Mode” appears to be a safety measure, ensuring users don’t engage in movements that could be dangerous or disruptive in an airplane environment, and that respect for the personal space and comfort of fellow passengers is maintained.
Although Travel Mode is currently in beta, it is expected to undergo further refinements and feature additions before its official release to the public. This intriguing discovery underlines Apple’s commitment to providing a user-friendly VR experience for Vision Pro headset users, even under the unique conditions of air travel.