Apple's visionOS is described as a "Spatial Computing" platform. However, based on current terminology, the visionPro device is viewed as a virtual reality (VR) headset with mixed reality (MR) capabilities. This pass-through effect is achieved through multiple external cameras and a lidar sensor that map the real world and project virtual objects onto it. The following definitions highlight the differences in the current terminology.

Virtual Reality (VR)

VR immerses users in a completely digital environment, often using headsets that block out the real world. Users can interact with this virtual space through motion controllers or hand tracking. VR applications are commonly used for gaming, training simulations, and virtual tours.

Augmented Reality (AR)

Augmented Reality (AR) adds digital content to the real world, enhancing the user’s surroundings without fully immersing them in a virtual environment. This can be experienced through smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses. Examples include Pokémon GO and navigation apps that overlay directions onto your view of the street.

Mixed Reality (MR)

Mixed Reality (MR) blends elements of both VR and AR, enabling digital and real-world objects to coexist and interact in real-time. Users can seamlessly interact with both environments. MR often requires more advanced hardware, such as Microsoft's HoloLens, and is used in fields such as design, education, and remote collaboration.

Extended Reality (XR)

XR is an umbrella term that encompasses all immersive technologies, including VR, AR, and MR. It reflects the broad spectrum of experiences that blend the physical and digital worlds.

Spatial Computing

Spatial computing refers to technologies that enable digital interactions within physical spaces, often requiring an understanding of 3D environments. This includes AR, VR, MR, as well as computer vision and spatial mapping. It emphasizes how users engage with spatial data and their surroundings, with applications spanning fields like architecture, robotics, and healthcare.

In summary, while VR, AR, and MR each represent specific types of immersive experiences, XR is a broader term that includes all of them. Spatial computing, on the other hand, refers to the technologies that facilitate interaction with these immersive experiences within physical spaces.