Zoom debuts its app for Vision Pro, featuring digital personas and other features

Last week, Zoom launched its Vision Pro app that promises to revolutionize virtual meetings. The innovative app introduces a range of features, including "persona" support, allowing users to utilize a digital avatar during calls, and 3D object sharing, along with the "Team Chat" feature.

A notable aspect of the new app is its integration with Apple's Persona feature, which captures a user's face scan, providing a spatial representation in Vision Pro. The dedicated Zoom app supports Persona, allowing participants in virtual meetings to observe not only facial expressions but also hand movements.

Leveraging the capabilities of Vision Pro's augmented reality (AR) technology, Zoom ensures an immersive experience with video calls appearing as a floating window seamlessly blending into the user's physical space.

In a blog post, Zoom emphasized the immersive quality of Zoom on Apple Vision Pro, stating that it offers a scalable experience, allowing users to feel as if they are in the same room as colleagues and clients without the need for additional equipment or setup.

The visionOS app also introduces a three-dimensional interface, enabling users to share 3D files during Zoom meetings, bringing objects to life in their surroundings.

Zoom envisions applications beyond business meetings, citing game design as an example where designers can collaborate and share character models seamlessly.

Although 3D object sharing is not available at the initial launch, Zoom plans to roll out this feature later in the spring. The "Team Chat" feature, a Slack competitor, was also not available at launch but will be introduced later.

Additionally, a feature called "real-world pinning" will allow Vision Pro headset wearers to pin up to five Zoom meeting participants anywhere in their environment, with an option to remove the background for a more connected feel.

Priced at $3,499, Vision Pro boasts nearly 200 dedicated apps, encompassing streaming services like Disney+, Max, Discovery+, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Fubo, and Crunchyroll, among others.

Notably absent from the list are major platforms such as Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, suggesting a level of skepticism among certain companies about the initial success of Vision Pro.