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Fast Company
2 hours ago
- Fast Company
VisionOS 26 proves Apple isn't treating the Vision Pro like a hobby
In 2023, the flagship reveal at Apple's WWDC keynote was unquestionably the debut of the Vision Pro. The headset wasn't just Apple's first all-new platform since the Apple Watch. It was also the company's opportunity to define what, exactly, a computer you strap to your head should do. Being Apple, it purposefully steered clear of existing concepts such as the metaverse and virtual reality. Instead, it embraced a term it stood a shot of owning: spatial computing. Rather than aiming to nail one or two experiences—movie-watching or gaming or even industrial-strength applications such as training—the Vision Pro would aspire to deliver general-purpose utility reminiscent of the Mac. Just in a radically new, immersive form. Flash-forward to this year's WWDC. No longer the keynote's headliner, Vision Pro took its place among the Apple platforms getting operating system updates in the fall—in its case, VisionOS 26. That's not a sign of diminished relevance, though. Those yearly software upgrades keep Apple gear evolving and improving; over time, they contribute more to a product's relevance than even the biggest-bang hardware introductions. And VisionOS 26's meatiness makes for a striking contrast with the barely evolving Apple TV box, a product that still feels like a hobby at best more than 18 years after Steve Jobs described it as one. Last week, after watching the keynote at Apple Park, I got some eyes- and hands-on experience with the Vision Pro's new features and discussed them with Steve Sinclair, senior director of Apple Vision Pro product marketing, and Jeff Norris, senior director of apps and content for the Vision Products Group. The two executives emphasized the practical ways VisionOS 26 expands on the Vision Pro's capabilities. The upgrade, Sinclair told me, 'adds new ways to connect. It adds new ways to be more immersed. It unlocks new methods to interact with the spatial digital content that we have. And it makes Vision Pro something that users can enjoy using every single day.' Increasing the everyday value of an existing product is always worthwhile, particularly when the product in question costs $3,500 and is still in the process of establishing itself. But VisionOS 26 is part of a longer-term bet. In April, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple is working on two new headsets and that CEO Tim Cook is eager to release something in a more glasses-like form factor when the technology is ready. Nobody at Apple is going to speak publicly about such unannounced products. But just the plurality of the 'Vision Products Group' in Norris's title indicates that the company doesn't see the Vision Pro as a one-off. In terms of sheer visual and technical wonder, VisionOS's standout feature may be the updated Personas, the photorealistic avatars that can appear in FaceTime calls, other forms of videoconferencing, and SharePlay-enabled communal experiences such as movie watching. Personas already received a significant upgrade last year, shortly after the Vision Pro shipped, and even in the new version, the concept remains the same. The setup process—you take off the Vision Pro and use it like a camera to scan your head—also remains quick and easy. What's new is that the Personas are much more detailed and natural-looking, complete with the ability to turn from side to side in a more realistic fashion as you move your head. 'We continue to push [Personas] forward, because we knew how important it was for you to be able to represent yourself while you're on a call with someone,' Sinclair says. 'And you needed to look like yourself, and feel real, and have the other people who are in the call with you feel real as well.' During my demo, I created a VisionOS 26 Persona of myself and recorded a brief video of it talking in front of a virtual Apple Park backdrop—an Inception -like moment given that the real me was inside the real Apple Park at the time. Coming face-to-face with your own Persona might not be the most effective way to assess the feature; it's other people's Personas you'll see most of the time, and staring at an uncanny digital representation of yourself can be unnerving. (The first thing I noticed was that mine could use a shave.) Judging from my own Persona and glimpses of others in the WWDC keynote, their realism seems to be in the same vicinity as the Meta research project that powered a 2023 conversation between Mark Zuckerberg and podcaster Lex Fridman. (It took place 'in the metaverse' but still hasn't resulted in a commercial product.) Apple's version hardly amounts to photorealistic avatars for the rest of us—just for the privileged few who own a Vision Pro. Still, it feels like a meaningful step toward mainstreaming the technology. By tiptoeing ever closer to faithfully re-creating its customers as digital people, does Apple run the risk of creating an unsettling uncanny valley effect that cartoony avatars such as Memoji will never provoke? 'The last thing I would want to see is for us get so scared of that valley that we don't make the leaps ahead that we're making with the new version of Personas,' Norris says. 'It's a valley, not a cliff, you know? And there is a place beyond that.' Another VisionOS 26 update is also about upping the Vision Pro's level of realism, though in ways less fraught than simulating actual human beings. You can now plunk down widgets—the same ones available on iPhones, iPads, and Macs—in a specific spot in 3D space, where they'll stay until you move them. For instance, you could put a digital clock on your real living room wall for consultation every time you don the Vision Pro. It's a convincing effect: In my demo at Apple Park, I wasn't positive that a poster of Lady Gaga wasn't really there until I learned I could gesture at it to summon her songs, courtesy of Apple Music. Now, the ability to precisely stick widgets in your real-world environment is not in itself a killer feature. Plain old wall clocks still work quite well, no $3,500 headset required. However, if you think ahead to a future in which AR is a bigger part of our lives, this sort of sophisticated melding of digital and physical reality starts to feel like table stakes. Apple has been chipping away at this challenge for years: Back in 2020, I reviewed a new iPad Pro whose AR features were intriguing, though a bit out of place in a tablet. On the Vision Pro, they make far more sense. 'It sounds kind of obvious that things should stay where you put them,' Norris says. 'Things certainly seem to do that normally. But there is a lot that has to come together for that to happen.' advertisement Content created with spatial computing in mind is gradually hitting the Vision Pro's App Store: During our chat, Sinclair waxed enthusiastic about D-Day: The Camera Soldier, an interactive WWII documentary coproduced by Time magazine. But some of VisionOS 26's adjustments turn stuff that might currently be languishing in your iCloud storage into new experiences. For example, an improved version of Spatial Scenes applies multidimensional depth to 2D images. Reminiscent of Facebook's 3D photos or maybe even the View-Master, it's a tad gimmicky. Thanks to 2025-level generative AI, however, it produces an especially convincing effect; you can even crook your neck to peek at plausibly reconstructed details that weren't visible in the original shot. VisionOS 26 also adds native support for 180- and 360-degree video shot with cameras from GoPro, Insta360, and Canon. The results aren't in 3D, but the samples I saw in my demo, including a skydiving shot, were pretty breathtaking. Amid all of VisionOS 26's additions, I was struck by one thing that hasn't changed: the fundamentals of using it. Even on day one, the Vision Pro's combination of eye tracking and a few hand gestures was simple to master and capable of more than you might expect. It's not a given that a wildly new type of product will get that right on its first attempt: The Apple Watch has been through several sweeping makeovers, and the 15-year-old iPad received WWDC 2025's most thorough redesign. That Apple largely nailed the Vision Pro interface from the start may help explain why it's been able to build out so many features in VisionOS 26. 'When we launched Vision Pro, we saw immediately how quickly people got up to speed in using their eyes and their hands to interact,' Sinclair says. 'And so, we continued to encourage [third-party] developers and of course our own teams to lean into that, because it is such an easy way to interact with the content that you have.' That said, he notes that some scenarios benefit from other forms of input, a fact reflected in VisionOS 26's support for Logitech's upcoming Muse 3D stylus and Sony's existing PlayStation VR2 hand controllers. Numerous technical obstacles still stand in the way of anyone releasing comfy, affordable, power-efficient glasses that rival the Vision Pro's capabilities. I'm still not positive that anyone in the industry will pull it off soon. Nor is it certain that the concept will ever reach smartphone-like ubiquity. Nevertheless, watching Apple use the Vision Pro as a proving ground for some of the necessary building blocks right now is fun—and makes me wonder what VisionOS 27, 28, or 29 might bring. You've been reading Plugged In, Fast Company 's weekly tech newsletter from me, global technology editor Harry McCracken. If a friend or colleague forwarded this edition to you—or if you're reading it on can check out previous issues and sign up to get it yourself every Friday morning. I love hearing from you: Ping me at hmccracken@ with your feedback and ideas for future newsletters. I'm also on Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads, and you can follow Plugged In on Flipboard. More top tech stories from Fast Company
Fast Company
4 hours ago
- Health
- Fast Company
6 smart ways to minimize decision fatigue before noon
Ever find yourself mentally drained before lunch—even when the day's barely begun? That's not laziness. It's decision fatigue, and it's very real. From the moment you wake up, your brain starts spending mental energy to make choices: what to wear, what to eat, how to respond to emails, whether to speak up in a meeting, and more. Over time, each of these micro-decisions chips away at your cognitive bandwidth—until you're running on fumes by 11 a.m. According to research, decision fatigue can lead to worse choices later in the day, decreased self-control, and even unethical behavior. But the good news is that with the proper structure, you can drastically reduce mental overload—and set your day up for success. Here are six science-backed strategies to minimize decision fatigue and boost clarity before noon. 1. Start with Structure: Automate the First 60 Minutes Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, and Mark Zuckerberg adopted similar wardrobe habits for the same reason—they didn't want to waste energy deciding what to wear. Routine isn't boring. It's strategic. Automating low-stakes decisions (like your breakfast, your clothes, or your workout routine) preserves your cognitive energy for high-impact choices later. The first hour of your day sets the tone for everything that follows. Reducing friction early creates momentum and decision clarity that lasts all day. This also lowers stress hormones and boosts your motivation. What to do: Create a fixed morning routine: same wake-up time, same breakfast, same prep ritual. Build a 'startup sequence' for your workday—like firing up your laptop, reviewing your goals, and taking 15 minutes of quiet thinking before meetings. 2. Make Your To-Do List the Night Before When you start your day by scanning emails or Slack, you instantly go into reactive mode, focusing on others' priorities. Instead, make key planning decisions while your brain is fresh—at the end of the previous day. This helps you sleep better by offloading mental clutter; it also boosts your confidence and sense of direction in the morning. A prepared mind is a focused mind. What to do: Write down your top three priorities before you shut down for the day. Review them first thing the next morning—no thinking required. Bonus: Include one 'quick win' task to build early momentum. 3. Eat a Protein-Rich Breakfast (Yes, Really) Your brain is 2% of your body weight, but uses over 20% of your energy. Without fuel, cognitive function declines—and decision-making suffers. Skipping breakfast or grabbing only carbs causes blood sugar crashes, reducing your focus and increasing your irritability. A balanced breakfast stabilizes glucose levels, essential for maintaining consistent attention and emotional regulation throughout the day. What you eat influences how you think. A nutritious morning meal primes your brain for clarity, patience, and problem-solving. What to do: Opt for protein and complex carbs, like eggs, Greek yogurt, oatmeal, or nuts. Hydrate before having caffeine: even mild dehydration can impair concentration by 10%. Add brain-boosting extras like berries, chia seeds, or greens for sustained energy. 4. Use Time Blocks to Limit Options You spend mental energy whenever you ask, 'What should I do now?' The more options, the more exhaustion. Instead, create time blocks—predefined periods for specific categories of work. This removes the burden of constant micro-decisions and helps your brain shift into the correct mode for the task. Time blocking also reduces context switching, which studies show can cost up to 40% of your productive time. Block 9:00–10:30 for deep work. Block 10:30–11:30 for admin or meetings. Leave reactive tasks (email, chat) for the afternoon. Color-code blocks on your calendar to visually reinforce focus zones. This structure reduces ambiguity and decision points, preserving mental clarity for higher-order thinking. 5. Minimize Micro-Decisions with Environmental Cues From desk clutter to notification dings, your environment constantly pulls you into unnecessary decision-making—like 'Should I check this now?' or 'What's that ping?' Decision fatigue increases when external stimuli demand constant evaluation. Each small choice drains mental energy and pulls your attention away from meaningful work. Design your environment to be your silent partner in focus. When your workspace supports your intentions, you make fewer decisions and stay in the flow longer. What to do: Silence nonurgent notifications. Clear your desk of all but the task at hand. Use physical cues: Post-it notes, open notebooks, or visible to-do lists to keep you anchored. Add a visual 'focus zone' marker—like a lamp or headphones—to signal deep work time. This aligns with behavioral design principles championed by Nudge author Richard Thaler: simplify the environment to reduce cognitive load. 6. Build a 'Noon Reset' Ritual No matter how optimized your morning is, decision fatigue creeps in. That's why resetting before the afternoon is critical—when poor choices tend to spike. By midday, your mental resources are often depleted, and without a conscious reset, your afternoon can become reactive and unfocused. A pause helps restore clarity and regain control of your time and energy. It also boosts emotional regulation and decision-making accuracy. What to do: Pause at noon for 10 minutes of reflection or silence. Ask: 'What's one thing I need to finish today?' Reset your attention and reclaim your day before it runs you. Try stepping outside or doing a short breathing exercise to refresh your mind. According to research, this taps into the brain's default mode network, which activates during rest and enhances creativity and problem-solving. Save Your Brain for What Matters Most You don't need to eliminate all decisions—just the ones that drain you unnecessarily. The goal isn't rigid control over every moment, but the intentional design of your mental environment. By front-loading important choices, using structure to reduce friction, and giving your brain regular rest, you free up the cognitive bandwidth to lead, create, and perform at your best. Cognitive energy is your most valuable asset as a leader. Protect it with as much care as your time or money. Remember: your attention is a finite resource. Spend it where it counts—on work that aligns with your values, energizes your team, and moves your mission forward.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Steve Jobs Once Gave A Secretary A Brand New Jaguar Out Of The Blue, Here Is Why The Apple Co-Founder Was So Generous
Steve Jobs earned a reputation for merciless standards, yet sometimes his demand for perfection came wrapped in jaw-dropping generosity. What Happened: Ron Givens, Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) director of quality from 1981 to 1986, recalled the day a secretary shuffled in late. Jobs stormed over to ask why, and she admitted her car had died that morning. "That afternoon, he walks into her office, tosses a set of keys to a brand-new Jaguar and says, 'Here, don't be late anymore,'" Givens told WRAL in an interview back in 2011. A Jaguar XJ cost roughly $35,000 in 1981, about $123,000 in today's dollars when adjusted for inflation, making the spur-of-the-moment gift an extraordinary employee perk. Don't Miss: Trending: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Peter Thiel turned $1,700 into $5 billion—now accredited investors are eyeing this software company with similar breakout potential. Learn how you can invest with $1,000 at just $0.30/share. The story illustrates the paradox of Apple's co-founder, who was a boss employees feared, yet one who could motivate "out of your socks," as Givens put it. Jobs, then 26, lived and breathed the company, prowling hallways to grill engineers on pixel placement one minute and springing surprises the next. Givens, two decades older, said he often thought Jobs's ideas were "stupid" until their brilliance clicked later. Back in 2011, he said he still kept a $1,000 Steuben-glass apple Jobs had handed him unannounced. Why It Matters: Steve Jobs ran Apple with icy precision, insisting on "only A players" and admitting that firing weaker talent, though "very painful," was necessary to maintain high standards. His late-night demands could left teams exhausted, and Pixar's Pete Docter later said Jobs's 3 am phone calls were a work trait he would "never repeat." Elon Musk openly praises that edge, agreeing with Jobs that a CEO's chief duty is "recruiting exceptional talent" rather than hand-holding staff, and he echoes Jobs's view that "the greatest people are self-managing." Not every leader wants the full Jobs playbook. Bill Gates once called comparing Musk to the "genius" Jobs a "gross oversimplification," warning that charisma can mask managerial chaos. Read Next: Are you rich? Here's what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. These five entrepreneurs are worth $223 billion – they all believe in one platform that offers a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends Photo Courtesy: rnkadsgn on Up Next: Transform your trading with Benzinga Edge's one-of-a-kind market trade ideas and tools. Click now to access unique insights that can set you ahead in today's competitive market. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? This article Steve Jobs Once Gave A Secretary A Brand New Jaguar Out Of The Blue, Here Is Why The Apple Co-Founder Was So Generous originally appeared on Erreur lors de la récupération des données Connectez-vous pour accéder à votre portefeuille Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données Erreur lors de la récupération des données
CBC
2 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Edmonton Elks hoping for 1st home-opening win in 4 years
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs once said: "don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice." A catchy sound bite that's easier said than done, but that's what the Edmonton Elks are hoping to achieve this week in preparation for their CFL home opener Thursday against the Montreal Alouettes. The Elks are eager to erase the memories of their horrendous starts the last three seasons (0-5, 0-8, 0-7) and looking to rebound from their season-opening 31-14 road loss to the B.C. Lions. Winning their home opener for the first time in four seasons is the No. 1 priority, said centre David Beard. "We're trying to block out all the rest of the noise," he said after another upbeat practice. "We, as players, have to reduce it down to simply winning the next game. "As much as we understand and recognize the importance of winning, and we want to get off to a hot start, we have to reduce it down to just winning the next football game. So we're trying to block out the extra noise, the pressure and just trying to do our job the best we can." The Elks started well in B.C., but a second-half collapse sent them back into the film and meeting rooms to make substantial changes. "In all three phases there are things we needed to clean up," said head coach Mark Kilam. "Offensively we have to stay on the field, we have to sustain some drives, we've got to be more productive on first downs. Game 1 shows you what you need to get better at." One of those things is to reduce costly penalties, an issue that has plagued the team for several seasons. "We didn't have a ton of penalties, we had operational penalties that are killing our momentum on offence," said Kilam. "Those are all preventable penalties, stuff we need to cut out." The Elks have had 12 days to make whatever changes they deemed necessary, the one advantage of having a bye week after just one game played. "We had the bye week, a chance to reset," said running back Justin Rankin, held to just 24 yards in seven carries against the Lions. "I think everybody's coming back hungry. We want to put on a show for the fans so we're excited to get out there and get after it." Rankin said there have been a lot of changes made in preparation for Thursday's game and one of the keys is getting the running game back to what it was last season when the team led the league in rushing yards. "It's super important," he said. "We're a physical team, that's kind of our motto, what we want to be. That starts with the running game. We'll get that together. One week doesn't define who we are." Success for the running game starts with the offensive line and its ability to open holes, something they weren't overly successful at against the Lions. "We were not happy with that result," said Beard. "First and foremost, for our group, we want to make the run game better. I feel like we've identified a lot of issues. "We've corrected them in the meeting room, we've brought them onto the field, made the corrections. Now it's a matter of making sure we execute on game day." On the injury front, two of the three players hurt in the season opener — offensive lineman Brett Boyko (hamstring) and wide receiver Arkell Smith (head) — are questionable for Thursday. Left tackle Martez Ivey (hamstring) is ready to play. The Alouettes enter the game at 2-0, including a 39-18 road win at Ottawa last week. They won both their meetings with Edmonton in 2024, including a 23-20 win at Commonwealth Stadium in Week 2.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Written by Steve Jobs: Three 'most-important' words of Apple philosophy that define the company since almost past 50 years
The Apple Marketing Philosophy by Steve Jobs In a world where technology evolves faster than most companies can catch up, Apple's staying power isn't just impressive — it's historic. From revolutionizing personal computing to reimagining how we communicate, work, and listen to music, Apple has shaped nearly every corner of modern life. But behind every product launch, keynote, and sleek design lies a foundational philosophy that has remained unchanged for almost five decades. It all began in 1977, not with a marketing campaign or a product blueprint, but with a memo. A short, 88-word document that captured the soul of a company still finding its place in a chaotic tech landscape. Though it was penned by Apple's early investor and chairman Mike Markkula, it would come to be embraced and embodied most powerfully by co-founder Steve Jobs . These three deceptively simple words — Empathy, Focus, and Impute — have defined Apple ever since. And perhaps more remarkably, they still do. Inside 'The Apple Marketing Philosophy': The 'three words' that still shapes every big decision by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Order New Blinds Online & Get $199 Home Installation Learn More Undo The document, known as The Apple Marketing Philosophy, was not an abstract corporate vision statement. It was a hands-on guide — direct, sharp, and actionable. It didn't talk about profits, market share, or competition. Instead, it drilled into how Apple should think, behave, and communicate — both internally and with the world. It was a set of principles that Steve Jobs not only internalized but used as a compass every time Apple faced a critical decision. Let's break down the three words that have become Apple's north star. 1. Empathy Apple's first priority has never been what's trending — it's what the customer truly needs, even if they can't articulate it. That's what Empathy means in the Apple context. It's not just listening to feedback or conducting user surveys. It's putting yourself so completely in the shoes of your users that you anticipate their wants before they do. Steve Jobs was a master of this. He famously said, 'People don't know what they want until you show it to them.' That was never arrogance — it was insight. Apple's approach has always been: meet human need before technical spec. Empathy explains why the iPod wasn't just another MP3 player — it was a music revolution. Why the iPhone didn't just add a touchscreen — it redefined the phone entirely. It's why Apple software feels intuitive, even to a child, and why its hardware often 'just works.' 2. Focus One of the hardest disciplines in business is knowing what not to do. That's where Apple's second guiding word comes in. Focus has been Steve Jobs' personal mantra and a defining principle of Apple's product philosophy. Focus is why Apple never drowned itself in a dozen product lines. When Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, the company had a confusing sprawl of products. His first major act was to cut 70% of them. The result? A simplified product grid — desktop and portable, for consumers and pros — that laid the foundation for Apple's modern dominance. Focus doesn't mean limiting ambition. It means channeling it. Every ounce of Apple's creative energy is poured into a small number of products, each of which is obsessively crafted. That's why updates take longer. That's why features are rolled out only when Apple believes they're truly ready. And that's why users trust them. 3. Impute In Markkula's words: 'People DO judge a book by its cover.' And Apple has always known this better than anyone. The idea behind Impute is simple but profound — every interaction with a product, from packaging to advertising to interface design, sends a signal. That signal must always reflect care, quality, and thoughtfulness. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he didn't just focus on tech specs. He obsessed over font choices, box design, and store layouts. Because if a product looks cheap or cluttered, it will feel that way — regardless of how powerful it is inside. Impute is the reason why Apple Stores feel more like design museums than retail outlets. Why unboxing a new iPhone feels like an event. Why even the inside of a Mac is sometimes as beautiful as the outside. The message is clear: what you see is a reflection of what's underneath. Apple's secret? Three words that still run the show Nearly five decades later, Apple remains fiercely loyal to these three words. Not because of nostalgia, but because they work. When Steve Jobs passed, many wondered if Apple would drift. But the continued success of the iPhone, the rise of the Apple Watch, the evolution of Macs, and the company's growing dominance in services all suggest otherwise. Every major Apple move — from their push into custom silicon with the M-series chips to their cautious and considered rollout of Vision Pro — can be traced back to these principles. Empathy for how people really want to use technology. Focus on a narrow, high-quality product line. And Impute, ensuring that everything from keynote slides to App Store icons exudes intention and design clarity. Why these three words still matter in a noisy world In 2025, the tech industry is louder than ever. Artificial intelligence is reshaping entire sectors. Mixed reality is beginning to enter the mainstream. New gadgets appear and vanish in the blink of an eye. And yet, Apple remains not only relevant — but aspirational. That's no accident. It's because these three words are more than a philosophy. They are a filter. A way to cut through hype, avoid distractions, and deliver lasting value. For any company wondering how to endure, inspire, and lead — the answer isn't in chasing the latest trend. It's in embracing a few timeless truths. And if they're lucky, they'll write them down on one sheet of paper, just like Apple did in 1977. Also read | Steve Jobs was brilliant but don't copy this 'one habit' of him; warns Pixar's Pete Docter AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
