The Apple Vision Pro may come equipped with settings specifically for plane rides. When digging into the first beta of visionOS, MacRumors found that the device’s operating system may have a Travel Mode option that you can use during a flight.
Several text strings uncovered by MacRumors indicate that you’ll be able to turn on the feature, with one noting, “If you’re on an airplane, you’ll need to keep Travel Mode on to continue using your Apple Vision Pro.” It also prompts the user to “remain stationary in Travel Mode,” likely to avoid wearers flailing around while wearing the headset and disturbing whoever’s sitting next to them.
Other lines of text in visionOS state that “some awareness features will be off,” MacRumors notes, suggesting that the device might not use some of its sensors for spatial awareness while in Travel Mode. It might not let you use your “digital persona” either, a feature Apple debuted at its Worldwide Developers Conference earlier this month, which allows you to create and use a hyperrealistic avatar of your face when using FaceTime with the Vision Pro.
It’s still unclear what all this means and how Travel Mode might work. But this gives us some insight into what to expect, as well as some of the limitations that Apple might have to work around. Even if the $3,499 headset does come with travel-specific features, I don’t think I could ever see myself wearing it on an airplane. I appreciate the effort, Apple, but I think I’ll just stick with watching movies on the back of the seat in front of me.
