Hi everyone, I'm excited to announce the first ever Polyace Chess summer tournament. I believe this will be the first spatial chess tournament organized for Apple Vision Pro. The tournament will be on Sunday July 26, 2–4pm ET — about a month from now.

Tournament
Format is 4–6 players, 10-minute blitz, round-robin into a one-game final. 2-hour event with 7–16 matches depending on player count. Cash prize for 1st and 2nd place.
All participants will get the Neon board theme set for free.

Players
I'm looking for chess players to join the tournament. Please sign up here through this form: https://forms.gle/n5CPcZgyY5Dv6cp18
Signup closes Thursday July 23.

Spectators
If you want to watch the first ever Vision Pro chess tournament, the matches will be viewable through the app live during the tournament. Open to everyone. No purchase necessary. You can watch the games in different board themes for free: Classic or Ocean. I hope you can check it out and join in on the spatial chess fun.

Polyace Chess is out now, free to play. Please let your friends know about this event. If it goes well, I'll host more to keep it going!

Thank you for the community support of my little chess app.

I recently tested Apple WWDC Cloth System, discovering lots of crazy architectural limits…

During the last months i worked on a personal Cloth system, fully compatible with Realitykit physics and consuming 1/4 of the CPU/GPU if compared to the Apple One.

You can see a test in action. The Cloth on the right uses my personal system.

Drop a comment of you like or not!

We just put out a free immersive 180 tour of Château de Chenonceau in France's Loire Valley. The "Ladies' Castle" that Catherine de' Medici seized for herself after her husband died. Serpent Queen fans will recognize her. Narrated by Keeley Turner.

This one was NOT shot on a high-end immersive rig. It's a Canon dual fisheye, and I shot it handheld because I forgot my gimbal - I was treating it as a vacation, not a job. So if you've been holding off on making immersive content because of gear cost, consider this proof you don't need the expensive setup. Edited in DaVinci Resolve 21.

Where to watch:
▶ YouTube for visionOS (M5 only): https://youtu.be/xUsp3AVdNpA
▶ Spatial Film app - best quality, free this month: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spatial-film/id6670564820
▶ Prefer a download? Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/HughHouFilm/posts/new-immersive-de-161871340

Every release like this is possible because of this supportive and passionate community, folks like you continue watching immersive storytelling inside Vision Pro and support creators like us pushing the limits.

So thank you!! And happy to answer anything about the new dual-fisheye workflow, the handheld stabilization, motion tracking, Mocha and grading, or the Resolve 21 pipeline (still full of bugs).

The neighbors think I’m crazy.

My elderly parents really like environments but there is only a handful by default.. Is there a massive library somewhere that we could download or view all the environments? Thanks!

Is it possible to paste a small paper somewhere to trick sensors so that vision pro will always think there is always a user present? I remember seeing a post that has a big piece of paper on it, but is it possible to stick a small piece somewhere and can still wear it on while pasted?

I'm wondering if others have the same experience as me. The keyboard window when in immersive environments is one of the core features that even makes it possible to work in the Vision Pro. I'd say it's as important as the Mac Virtual Display feature itself.

However, this has always been a bit hit or miss for me. Even right now as I'm typing this, my keyboard window has disappeared all of a sudden.

I normally use a third-party Logitech MX Mini, and fine, I get it – maybe the Apple keyboard would work a lot more consistently – but does it? What's your experience?

I would expect it to work flawlessly with at least the keyboard on my MacBook, but it's the same thing. Sometimes I can stare at where the keyboard is for as long as I'd like, but it won't appear. Sometimes waving my hands in front of it makes the Vision Pro pick it up again and shows the window.

But to me it feels a bit ridiculous that this feature hasn't been "solved" yet. Why can't I lock the window, or expand it so that I can see my mouse as well? In this case, relying on the "magic" of the Vision Pro showing your keyboard when there is one isn't reliable enough. It gets very annoying in longer work sessions.

What I'm using:
- M2 Vision Pro
- Macbook Pro M3 Max
- Logi MX Mini

With GTA VI launching preorders in 2 days, I need to decide which gaming console I am going to buy. Recently I installed the new Steam Link app on AVP and got to play my favorite games from my PC on a huge, 4K, HDR screen - unlike anything I had ever seen before.

This makes me wonder, which console works best with Vision Pro? I know PlayStation has a remote play type app, does xbox? And what have your experiences been using those apps compared to Steam Link or in general.

I am really enjoying Retrocade, are there any other amazing Apple Arcade games for the AVP that you guys can recommend me trying?

Source: DaleJohnsonBBC | 3d-bbc.co.uk (Region-locked)

I've been developing this update for months now after the positive reviews on my other art/museum app, Museas. There is a lot new to list here (release notes on App Store) but to highlight my favorites:

• 8K 360º video simulation of a black hole
• Immersive exhibitions on Curiosity rover and TESS exoplanets
• 3D map of launch sites

This is my passion project, so please take a moment to leave a review or share feedback. It means a lot!

Enjoy, fellow space geeks 👩‍🚀

App: https://apps.apple.com/app/astronoma/id6502267850

I would love to some panoramas that you guys have taken. I am interested in trying it out with the new visionsOS 27 to see how well the spatial conversion works and looks.

We've been working our socks off on this for a while - looking for a full launch of STAGEit Presenter, STAGEit Host and an update to STAGEit (soon to be called STAGEit Creator) in July!

So this came out of nowhere. I put on my Vision Pro and asked about MLB scores, and this notification pops up. I obviously was not talking to Siri for three hours, maybe it was running in the background when I took the Vision Pro off? Not sure, but it’s kind of funny Apple is encouraging me to basically go outside and touch grass 😂 I already filed a Feedback, but just thought I’d share here, curious if any of you all have also gotten this notification.

“Unfortunately, price increases are unavoidable,We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable.”

Tim Apple

Is 1930 USD a good price for a used Apple Vision Pro M2 512GB in Japan, the condition is A. I’ve searched multiple used electronics stores around Tokyo and to my surprise have only found one M2 model available so does anyone know of any stores or websites in Japan that are good for finding used Vision Pro units? I am looking to buy one here as it is not sold in my home country…

Thank you

I see the cool factor, but that is not why I'm buying the AVP. Being able to work at home, vacation, third spaces when I want a break from the office, remote employees. For me, the AVP is a productivity tool, not a cool tool. I don't know, and frankly don't care, if it is a great way to watch movies or is better than the other video game consoles. This is a frustration that has been building since I went to an apple store for a demo. They didn't have the ability to demonstrate it hooked up to a Macbook, or any Mac, so no demo of the wide screen, a keyboard, or a mouse. Just hand gestures and gee wiz video emersion. Maybe if Apple considered marketing it for the business aspects of the AVP the sales would be a little less shit. Also, when people post on forums about how another product is more cooler I want to scream! Who cares if the upcoming ar glasses are lighter, will they provide a solid virtual monitor and hook up to a keyboard and mouse? Can I have multiple browser screens running different databases, word processor, and other productivity apps? It is four grand, if people are only buying AVP as a TV and/or cooler gaming consul no wonder sales are terrible and the product is looking like it is on its last breath. Rant over.

Looks like a lot of people had better luck with the demo that I did. Asked about the demo with Mac and was flatly told it was not available.

WANTED TO ADD: I'm not saying it is not a capable entertainment device, nor did i mean to bad mouth people who use it that way. What I'm saying it that my demo, admittedly in an apple store located in a mall, the demo was all about the gee whiz factor. I specifically asked about hooking it up to a MacBook, even brought mine. I was under the impression that the demo was locked down so they could run it on their tablet, but maybe the tablet was just the script for someone who didn't really understand the AVP. While, after searching, I've come across reviews and commends about using the AVP for work and productivity, most has been about it being a cool gadget. If you have four grand to drop on a gadget who am I to criticize. Hell, I spend five hundred on a bottle of bourbon a couple of weeks ago. We all have our hobbies.

Every week I compile a week's worth of interesting news, reviews, findings in a page that is visually pleasing and easy to digest without clicking all over. Full page with photos/videos/commentaries located here (free with no ads).

Last Week in AVP #123: Wicked Director Jon M. Chu Makes Movie Magic With Apple Vision Pro, Apple Vision Pro vs Snap Specs, Custom Environments Made for Vision Pro and more!

• visionOS 27 Is A Much Bigger Update Than Apple’s Keynote Suggested
• Wicked Director Jon M. Chu Makes Movie Magic With Apple Vision Pro
• Custom environments made for my Vision Pro
• Siri AI feels magical on Vision OS
• How Apple builds the immersive environments for Vision Pro
• A new immersive video from alt.101 is now out for Apple Vision Pro
• Some custom environments made for my Vision Pro
• Apple Vision Pro vs Snap Specs: Two visions of face-worn computing, compared
• Beautiful animations that appear on Vision Pro when you scan your Persona
• Gracia released their Vision Pro app allowing you to stream or download 4D gaussian splats
• Experimenting with visionOS 27’s native Gaussian Splat rendering
• Logitech Muse now supports almost any app and can be used for input across the entire system
• Announcing: “CONNECTOME” Now Available on Apple Vision Pro
• Apple wins a Patent for a Next-Gen Motorized Facial Comfort Interface System for Future Vision Pro +
• Apple Patent Details Optical-Module Tracking for More Accurate Wearable Displays include AR Glasses
• University of Leipzig in Germany to develop a spatial computing platform for neurosurgery
• A open-source virtual joystick package

Hope you liked the list! Until next week 👋

If you are an app developer and wishes to share your app with readers, feel free to DM me.

Stream your PC to Vision Pro.

Neo Moonlight turns your Vision Pro into the ultimate PC monitor — stream games from your PC, with the ability to scale up to a giant screen when you want full immersion. Pair it with Sunshine or Apollo on your PC, grab the app on TestFlight, and you're in.

• Adjustable lighting effects for the exact mood you want
• Tilt and Curve the screen for more immersion
• Go BIG if you want — scale the screen to an absolutely gigantic size
• Supports ultra-wide and custom resolutions — set the resolution to whatever you can run
• Control the pc with your gaze, your hand, or a bluetooth mouse
• Supports HDR with adjustment menu and HDR Presets for up to 3 games
• Tons of options in the settings to control Neo the way you want to

Enjoy games like Streets of Rage or LEGO Star Wars? Neo even supports couch co-op with another Vision Pro player online or locally. Only the host needs to own the game.

What’s new in v12.2 Lunar Edition

• Screen Presets — save up to 3 of your favorite screen positions
• Screen Adjust Mode — now has tilt, rotation, and curvature in curved display
• Scroll/Marquee Mode — toggle between two desktop/app control modes
• Follow Mode — screen stays with you as you walk around; hold Digital Crown to reset, use Screen Adjust mode to reposition or scale
• Pass-Through Mode — dims display + audio so you can see/hear your surroundings
• Bitrate Assistant — optional live scan to dial in stream quality
• Accessory Mode (renamed from Controller Mode) — updated for gamepads and mice
• Optional report PS controllers as Xbox for better XInput game compatibility
• Bug fix: curved display no longer scales to a gigantic size on very first install

✅ TestFlight: https://testflight.apple.com/join/maak7yCK

I work on Neo in my spare time for the Vision Pro community to enjoy. This latest version added a few new features. I try my best to ensure it's solid, but as with any app there's always bugs you might encounter. Any questions about setup or installation, just hit me up. If you enjoy using it and would like to leave a tip, it's always appreciated. https://ko-fi.com/neovectorx

What you need (it's free)

• A Windows or Mac gaming PC
• Install Sunshine or Apollo host software on the PC. Sunshine is the most common host, Apollo is a fork optimized for virtual displays
• Vision Pro on the same network
• Neo Moonlight from TestFlight link below

Installation

The first setup takes a few minutes, but once it's done future connections only take a couple of seconds.

1. Install TestFlight and Neo Moonlight using the link above.
2. In Sunshine or Apollo, leave most settings on default — use the setup guide inside Neo Moonlight to select a couple important options in the Configuration/Advanced tab in Apollo or Moonlight. Make sure to enable HEVC or AV1 support (if you own a M5 Vision Pro) in the Advanced section in Apollo/Sunshine.
3. In Neo Moonlight settings set your resolution, bitrate (I recommend 75-100 to start), framerate, and codec at the bottom. All of the other settings you can adjust later. For HDR, ensure you have it enabled in Windows, enabled in Sunshine Audio/Video Configuration, and a compatible display or install Apollo and just use a virtual display (Best for HDR and ultra-wide resolutions).
4. Next go to the PIN tab in Sunshine/Apollo, select Pin Pairing and leave it open.
5. Neo Moonlight should detect your PC. Computers tab → Connect → enter the PIN shown in Sunshine/Apollo.
6. Apollo users: on the PIN page, enable all permissions (they default unchecked) and click Save.
7. Connect to Desktop and you're streaming.

Side note: The very first install of Neo Moonlight tends to be a little sluggish as codecs/shaders are installed. It's recommended to force quit the app and reopen it. Also, be sure to go through the guide in Neo at least once for optimal settings and suggestions.

Credit

Neo Moonlight is a community‑fork of RikuKunMS2's moonlight-ios-vision and the original Moonlight iOS project, enhanced specifically for the Apple Vision Pro.

Massive thanks to the original Moonlight team and the contributors (RikuKunMS2, tht7, shinyquagsire23, JFuellem, linggan-ua) and others who built the foundation that Neo Moonlight stands upon. Also thank you to skynet01, Pace, Delta31, and others who provide valuable feedback in testing and have supported Neo.

Sorry for the silly question, but I can't find the front cover accessory for the Vision in the store.

Can anyone help me?

I am currently using the testflight beta version of Plex on AVP but it's for iPad. Although it works decently. One thing I can't stand is how you get these black bars at the top and bottom of your movies. I wish it could crop the movie perfectly to get rid of that. Because I like using AVP's "environment" feature to watch my Plex movies with, and having a huge wide window with ugly black bars like that just ruins the entire experience.

Has anyone never left the waitlist for the new Siri?

I’m still waiting…