The arrival of visionOS 26 represents a true transformation for Apple Vision Pro PeopleThe digital avatar system, which seeks to faithfully represent users during video calls or mixed reality experiences, has historically been criticized for its lack of realism and expressiveness. With this latest update, Apple aims to improve both visual detail and natural movement, bringing its virtual avatars closer to what we expect to see in digital conversations of the future.
It's been several months since the first users were able to try out the original Personas, which presented a somewhat blurred appearance, limited expressions, and clearly lacking in detail in hair, eyelashes, and facial geometry. Many went so far as to describe these versions as "strange" or even "unsettling," placing them squarely in the realm of the phenomenon known as the uncanny valley, where the almost human causes discomfort due to its lack of veracity.
visionOS 26: a step forward in naturalness and technology
The new generation of People comes with a near-total rebuild of the underlying technology. According to Apple, systems are now used volumetric rendering and machine learning industry leaders to achieve a much more faithful representation of the user's face. The result can be seen in the definition of the skin or the small details of facial hair and hair, and the way in which the expressions and gestures are reproduced realistically and fluency.
Among the most notable new features, the ability to display a full side profile and improved capture of individual features such as 3D ears, eyelashes, and facial texture. Users can also customize their virtual presence, with over 1000 combinations of glasses and aesthetic options.
Apple maintains a very simple setup experienceSimply lift the visor, let the system scan your face for a few seconds, and adjust parameters such as lighting or accessories. In just a few steps, the user has a digital avatar that, in motion, is much more convincing than previous versions.
Implications and limitations of the new technology
The leap in quality in the People It's so significant that Apple has decided to remove the "beta" label. Company executives, such as Greg Joswiak, have publicly shown off their own avatars recorded with visionOS 26, something unprecedented before and indicative of confidence in the level of maturity reached by this feature.
The technical limitations persist. The system only animates the front of the face and head, leaving areas on the sides or back of the face unrepresented. While the illusion is convincing in video calls or mixed-reality environments, it's still noticeable in static shots that it's a digital recreation, especially if you look closely at the texture or mapping of fine details.
Apple also faces the challenge of maintaining this level of realism in future devices More compact, such as glasses or even smaller headsets. The accuracy of Personas depends on cameras that capture eye, mouth, and cheek movement. Reducing the size of the hardware will pose challenges in capturing all these nuances, although the company is exploring solutions using artificial intelligence and algorithm training with different perspectives.
It has also been confirmed that the improvement in people will be added to the Vision Pro's EyeSight display, achieving a more natural and detailed image for those viewing from outside. However, details like hands still don't reach the same quality as the face, increasing the contrast between the avatar's parts.
The social role and future adoption of People
Beyond the technical advancements, Apple sees Personas as a tool with great potential for remote communication and interaction in virtual environments. Being able to conduct video calls or meetings without worrying about appearance, lighting, or camera angle opens up new possibilities in both professional and personal life. In the future, the company could extend versions of Personas to other devices such as the iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and make it easier to create multiple avatars for various social or work contexts.
Although its social acceptance is not yet universal, its use in conversations with family or friends often provokes comments or jokes. Normalization will depend largely on the popularization of augmented or mixed reality headsets and a reduction in their prices.
The evolution of People in Vision Pro represents a essential technological milestone to achieve increasingly realistic and believable avatars in extended reality experiences. Future generations of hardware and software will determine whether Apple can set this standard across all formats and remain a leader in the transition toward more human and natural digital communication.
