Apple’s highly anticipated Vision Pro AR/VR headset is set to launch on February 2, featuring a suite of dedicated Microsoft 365 apps. Among the notable applications are Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Loop. Positioning the Vision Pro as a productivity-centric device, Apple aims to provide users with a seamless integration of Microsoft’s productivity tools, enhancing overall user efficiency.
These applications are not mere replicas of their iPad counterparts; rather, they come equipped with built-in functionalities specifically designed to leverage the capabilities of the headset. For instance, PowerPoint introduces a custom immersive environment that enables users to practice delivering presentations to virtual audiences. Excel offers a unique pinch-and-drag functionality, allowing users to swiftly move documents between apps using the headset.
Microsoft Word incorporates a focus mode designed to eliminate distractions, fostering a conducive environment for concentrated writing. Teams takes advantage of the headset’s persona feature, enabling users’ digital avatars to participate in work meetings, utilizing the uncanny valley magic. This feature is also extended to the Zoom app on the Apple Vision Pro.
Furthermore, users will have access to Microsoft’s AI-powered Copilot service, allowing natural conversation commands for tasks such as creating drafts, summarizing documents, and generating PowerPoint presentations.
All these applications will be readily available through the official App Store upon unboxing the Vision Pro. While there have been speculations about the absence of certain third-party applications like Netflix and YouTube at launch, the inclusion of popular Microsoft 365 apps ensures that early adopters have a diverse range of productivity tools at their disposal, beyond Apple-branded applications.
