I Got to Experience My Own Spatial Videos and Photos on the Apple Vision Pro, and It Was Incredibly Moving
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A few weeks back, I watched some pre-recorded Spatial Video clips and photos of all kinds on the Apple Vision Pro. I then got to record a professional sushi chef making a roll with Spatial Video and watch it back in an entirely new, exciting way.
I also left that day with an early vision of iOS 17.2 installed on my phone, allowing me to begin recording Spatial Video from my iPhone 15 Pro. Earlier this week, iOS 17.2 became available for all iPhone users. So now, if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max, you too can record Spatial Video, which you can more fully experience if you decide to buy the Vision Pro when it arrives in early 2024.
In my original hands-on, I noted, “Imagine being able to relive family moments, birthdays, and moments with your family and friends. It adds an emotional level to what you’re playing back. I think that is really where the Apple Vision Pro will shine.”
This week, I got to put that to the test, and what I found is that Spatial Videos of your family, pets, and important moments can truly be incredibly moving. It immediately transports you back to a specific time and place.
More Intimate, More Immersive
Jacob Krol/Men's Journal
In preparation for this third time with the Vision Pro, I shot several moments using the Spatial Video function on my iPhone 15 Pro Max. As I previously described, it’s the same simple experience of recording with an iPhone today.
I opened the camera, swiped to video, and rotated my phone horizontally. The result was a standard 1080p HD video I could play back at any time on my phone, and it’s true to the class-leading recording that an iPhone delivers.
Once I was in the demo space and went through the quick and noticeably faster setup of Apple Vision Pro, I saw the familiar AirDrop icon appear at the top. It’s a feature that many of us take for granted, as it’s an easy way to transfer files from iPhone to Mac to iPad and back, and now to even the Vision Pro.
I looked at the familiar AirDrop icon, tapped my index finger and thumb, saw Control Center—another staple from iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that’s here—and accepted the AirDrop. I then glanced over, opened the photos app with another touch, and saw my pictures and videos right there.
I started with a panorama that I shot on my iPhone 6S—a moment before the roar of a Springsteen concert began in 2012. It immediately took me back to that show at that moment.
Though it wasn’t the same exact picture quality as an image shot on a more recent iPhone, it still took me right back to that moment. You’ll find that the displays, one for each eye, look exceptionally clear.
What really struck me, though, was the ability of the Vision Pro to transport you back in time, as it tugs on your emotions through accurate representations— not exaggerated 3D films. Playing back a Spatial Video of my niece, sister, and father walking in a hallway might seem simple. But similar to old home movies, it’s a glimpse at life, those everyday moments you sometimes wish you could return to.
Related: I Tried the Apple Vision Pro Headset, and It's the Future
It’s also immersive, with aspects of it feeling as close to real life as possible and almost pulling you into the frame. While it is a 1080pHD video at 30 frames per second, it comes through exceptionally clear and with accurate colors throughout.
Spatial Video playback adds a bit of fog around the memory, which helps the overall effect, but all the proportions stay the same, too. My niece was about the same size on the Vision Pro in that video as in real life, and the same goes for my father and sister.
Similarly, a video with more personality of my family at a dinner table —just those casual moments—feels heightened and more engaging. It made me smile, and I got a little choked up thinking about watching some family movies of my grandparents in this type of format at some point in the future.
Related: How Good Are the iPhone 15 Pro Cameras? We Had a Photographer Put Them to the Test
It really does feel like something out of a futuristic movie. You feel like you’re back in that moment and physical space. Rather than trying to get closer by zooming in on an iPhone, it feels like you’re peering in through a window.
If it’s a shot of Bruce Springsteen from the front of a pit, it feels like you’re back in the moment during a concert. If it’s a family selfie, you are brought back to that moment with an astounding amount of clarity.
Let’s Recap
If you opt to get an Apple Vision Pro on day one, or sometime in the future, you get access to your entire iCloud Photo Library out of the box since it’s all synced with your iCloud and Apple ID.
Spatial Video, though, is a new and remarkably emotional experience. I would encourage you to start recording these types of videos now if you have an iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max. Especially with Christmas and New Year's around the corner, you don’t want to miss recording those simple moments.
We still have a few more months to go until that “early 2024” mark when the Apple Vision Pro will become available, and it’s expensive with a $3,499 starting price. But viewing back moments on the Vision Pro is unlike any other device I’ve experienced.
This story originally appeared on TheStreet.