Software redesigns are often a polarizing affair. No matter how a company approaches the task, the final product will always please some people, while displeasing others. However, this fact has hardly ever hindered tech giants from tinkering - or 'innovating', as they call it - and the same is expected for this year's iOS 19 and macOS 16 operating systems. As multiple sources have pointed out, including the reliable Mark Gurman, iOS 16 is likely to receive a major redesign this year, which will include design elements borrowed from Apple's VisionOS - the operating system that powers the Vision Pro.

The same applies to the upcoming macOS 16, internally code-named "Cheer", which is also borrow inspiration from VisionOS. We have witnessed hints of this in iOS 18 already, which includes round icons in the control center, as opposed to its predecessor's square icons with rounded edges. Interestingly, Gurman did not confirm whether all app icons will switch to a round shape, which will be quite interesting since older macOS and OS X versions, all the way to Catalina, boasted round app icons. Of course, design changes are often cyclic, especially in the case with Apple. Moreover, increased translucency should also be prevalent throughout macOS 16 and iOS 19 - yet another design choice that is likely to be divisive in nature. Either way, both iOS 19 and macOS 16 are expected to debut in the summer at WWDC 25, which means we don't have much waiting to do before being granted a sneak peek into the future of macOS and iOS.

The $3,499 Apple Vision Pro AR/VR headset is certainly not the kind of device that Apple expects to be mass-adopted. Since its launch in 2023, the luxurious gadget is yet to witness a single hardware refresh. The gadget's aging M2 SoC paired with 16 GB of memory is almost three years old, but despite that, respected analyst Mark Gurman expects the device to soon sport Apple Intelligence features alongside the upcoming VisionOS 2.4 update that is scheduled for April. Considering that a hardware update is not expected to hit the scene for at least the rest of the year, a major software update is welcome news for the select few of us who have invested in the product.

The fact that the Vision Pro will support Apple Intelligence features is actually not much of a shocker, since Macs as old as the M1-generation also boast support for Apple's AI features. As such, the Vision Pro will soon receive support for Apple's writing tools with ChatGPT-integration, genmoji, image playground, as well as a bunch of other features with debatable efficacy. Moreover, the report also adds that the device will also get a new app for spatial experiences - which was undoubtedly one of the key selling points of the device. A 'revamped' guest mode is also on the cards, which will allow buyers to share the device with their family and friends - a factor that Apple considers important in order to drive sales. That said, the Vision Pro had abysmal sales to begin with, which indicates that a lower-end variant with a reasonable price tag might be the only way to make even the most ardent of Apple disciples to hop on the VR/AR hype train.

This GFN Thursday recaps the latest cloud announcements from the CES trade show, including GeForce RTX gaming expansion across popular devices such as Steam Deck, Apple Vision Pro spatial computers, Meta Quest 3 and 3S, and Pico mixed-reality devices. Gamers in India will also be able to access their PC gaming library at GeForce RTX 4080 quality with an Ultimate membership for the first time in the region. This follows expansion in Chile and Columbia with GeForce NOW Alliance partner Digevo. More AAA gaming is on the way, with highly anticipated titles DOOM: The Dark Ages and Avowed joining GeForce NOW's extensive library of over 2,100 supported titles when they launch on PC later this year. Plus, no GFN Thursday is complete without new games. Get ready for six new titles joining the cloud this week.

Head in the Clouds
CES 2025 is coming to a close, but GeForce NOW members still have lots to look forward to. Members will be able to play over 2,100 titles from the GeForce NOW cloud library at GeForce RTX quality on Valve's popular Steam Deck device with the launch of a native GeForce NOW app, coming later this year. Steam Deck gamers can gain access to all the same benefits as GeForce RTX 4080 GPU owners with a GeForce NOW Ultimate membership, including NVIDIA DLSS 3 technology for the highest frame rates and NVIDIA Reflex for ultra-low latency.

GeForce NOW turns any device into a GeForce RTX gaming PC, and is bringing cloud gaming and AAA titles to more devices and regions. Announced today at the CES trade show, gamers will soon be able to play titles from their Steam library at GeForce RTX quality with the launch of a native GeForce NOW app for the Steam Deck. NVIDIA is working to bring cloud gaming to the popular PC gaming handheld device later this year.

In collaboration with Apple, Meta and ByteDance, NVIDIA is expanding GeForce NOW cloud gaming to Apple Vision Pro spatial computers, Meta Quest 3 and 3S and Pico virtual- and mixed-reality devices - with all the bells and whistles of NVIDIA technologies, including ray tracing and NVIDIA DLSS. In addition, NVIDIA is launching the first GeForce RTX-powered data center in India, making gaming more accessible around the world. Plus, GeForce NOW's extensive library of over 2,100 supported titles is expanding with highly anticipated AAA titles. DOOM: The Dark Ages and Avowed will join the cloud when they launch on PC this year.

Microsoft has officially ended production of its HoloLens 2 mixed-reality headset, according to sources confirmed by The Register. The tech giant recently notified its partners that the HoloLens 2, introduced in 2019 as an enterprise-focused augmented reality device, is no longer available for purchase. This marks a significant shift in Microsoft's AR strategy, with the company stating, "Support for HoloLens 2, including security updates, will end on December 31, 2027." Despite aggressive marketing efforts, the HoloLens 2 struggled to gain widespread adoption, reflecting broader challenges in the AR/VR market where high-end headsets like HoloLens 2 and Apple Vision Pro retail for around $3,500, limiting their appeal. Some Microsoft employees reportedly expressed surprise that the project continued as long as it did, suggesting internal doubts about its viability.

Rather than continuing as a hardware provider, Microsoft plans to pivot its role in the mixed reality space, focusing on "first-party software solutions and services, partnering with the broader mobile phone and mixed reality hardware ecosystem." This decision aligns with the current state of the AR/VR industry, where the ecosystem is still in its early stages, and companies like Meta are heavily investing in its development. Microsoft's shift from hardware production to ecosystem investment mirrors trends in the broader tech industry and could position the company for future opportunities as the mixed-reality market matures. As the ecosystem develops and more use cases emerge, Microsoft's investment in software and services could prove valuable despite the current challenges in justifying investments in a field that's still searching for compelling widespread applications.

TrendForce's latest report reveals that shipments of near-eye displays are expected to increase year-by-year over the next few years following inventory clearance. It is anticipated that OLEDoS will dominate the high-end VR/MR market, with its technological share rising to 23% by 2030, while LCD will continue to occupy the mainstream market, holding a 63% share in near-eye displays.

TrendForce defines VR/MR devices as near-eye displays that achieve an immersive experience through a single display. Devices emphasizing transparency and the integration of virtual and real-world applications are classified as AR devices.

To accelerate humanoid development on a global scale, NVIDIA today announced it is providing the world's leading robot manufacturers, AI model developers and software makers with a suite of services, models and computing platforms to develop, train and build the next generation of humanoid robotics.

Among the offerings are new NVIDIA NIM microservices and frameworks for robot simulation and learning, the NVIDIA OSMO orchestration service for running multi-stage robotics workloads, and an AI- and simulation-enabled teleoperation workflow that allows developers to train robots using small amounts of human demonstration data.

Apple has reportedly halted the development of its future Vision Pro 2 headset, opting instead to focus on a more affordable variant. The decision comes as the company grapples with the high production costs associated with the Vision Pro, which was released on February 2 in the US for $3,499 and will be released on July 12 in other countries. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple is not expected to manufacture more than 500,000 Vision Pro units this year, casting doubt on the device's ability to gain widespread adoption at such a premium price point. The tech giant's suppliers have already begun scaling back production, with one supplier reducing output by 50% in May due to forecasts of weaker-than-expected demand.

While the Vision Pro promised to deliver a groundbreaking mixed-reality experience, its excessive cost effectively priced it out of reach for the mass market. Recognizing this barrier, Apple has reportedly decided to abandon the development of the costlier "Pro 2" model and instead channel its efforts into creating a more budget-friendly "Vision" variant. The new device is expected to feature fewer cameras, simpler speaker systems, and a streamlined headband design, all aimed at reducing production costs. However, sources indicate that Apple is struggling to significantly lower the costs of key components, such as the display, which could further delay the launch of the successor model. Nevertheless, the company's goal is to create a mixed-reality headset priced around the level of a high-end iPhone, approximately $1,600, and launch the cheaper headset in late 2025.