Discuss Spatial Computing on Apple Platforms.

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iOS needs to allow for background bluetooth scanning. I can't fully build my app.
iOS currently restricts background Bluetooth advertising and scanning in order to preserve battery life and protect user privacy. While these restrictions serve important purposes, they also limit legitimate use cases where users have explicitly opted in to proximity-based experiences. The core challenge is that modern social applications need a way to detect when users are physically present at the same location or event without requiring every participant to keep their app in the foreground. Under the current system, background BLE advertising is heavily throttled and can only transmit a limited payload, background scanning intervals are sparse and unpredictable, peer-to-peer proximity detection cannot be maintained reliably when apps are in the background, and Background App Refresh is non-deterministic, making any kind of time-based proximity validation impossible. A proposed enhancement would be to introduce an “Enhanced Proximity Permission.” This would allow developers to enable reliable background BLE advertising and scanning for declared time windows, such as a maximum of eight hours. It would also allow devices running the same app to detect each other’s proximity using ephemeral, rotating identifiers that preserve privacy, with clear user consent and prominent indicators whenever the feature is active. Unlocking this capability would open up new categories of applications. Live events could offer automatic attendance tracking at concerts, conferences, or sports venues. Retail environments could support opt-in foot traffic analysis and dwell-time insights. Social apps could allow users to find friends at festivals, campuses, or other large venues. Safety applications could extend to crowd density monitoring and contact tracing beyond COVID-era needs. Gaming could offer real-world multiplayer experiences based on physical proximity, and transportation providers could verify rideshare pickups or measure public transit flows automatically. Privacy safeguards would remain central. Permissions would be time-boxed and expire after an event or session. A mandatory visual indicator would be displayed whenever proximity tracking is active. A user-facing dashboard would show all apps granted enhanced proximity access. Permissions would automatically be revoked after a period of non-use, and only ephemeral tokens not permanent identifiers would be broadcast. The industry impact would be significant. With this enhancement, iOS could power the next generation of location-aware social platforms while maintaining Apple’s leadership in privacy through explicit user control and transparency. Current alternatives, such as requiring users to keep apps in the foreground or deploying dedicated hardware beacons, produce poor user experiences and constrain innovation in spatial computing and social applications. Can anyone from Apple consider this change? Having to buy iBeacons is brutal and means slower adoption. Please reconsider this for users who opt in.
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1.1k
Sep ’25
VisionOS26 PresentationComponent not working
I am trying to get the new PresentationComponent working in VisionOS26 as seen in this WWDC video: https://developer.apple.com/videos/play/wwdc2025/274/?time=962 (18:29 minutes into video) Here is some other example code but it doesn't work either: https://stepinto.vision/devlogs/project-graveyard-devlog-002/ My simple Text view (that I am adding as a PresentationComponent) does not appear in my RealityView even though the entity is found. Here is a simple example built from an Xcode immersive view default project: struct ImmersiveView: View { @Environment(AppModel.self) var appModel var body: some View { RealityView { content in // Add the initial RealityKit content if let immersiveContentEntity = try? await Entity(named: "Immersive", in: realityKitContentBundle) { content.add(immersiveContentEntity) if let materializedImmersiveContentEntity = try? await Entity(named: "Test", in: realityKitContentBundle) { content.add(materializedImmersiveContentEntity) var presentation = PresentationComponent( configuration: .popover(arrowEdge: .bottom), content: Text("Hello, World!") .foregroundColor(.red) ) presentation.isPresented = true materializedImmersiveContentEntity.components.set(presentation) } } } } } Here is the Apple reference: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/realitykit/presentationcomponent
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584
Jul ’25
Overlaying SwiftUI content with transparency in front of RealityView
Following up on my previous question here: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/774262 Having solved the clipping problem, I am now trying to overlay some content in front of the RealityView. However, it looks like any content with transparency does not render in front of the RealityView, while opaque views seem to work; placing content with transparency like glassBackgroundEffect() behind the RealityView in a ZStack causes the entire window to flicker. Additionally, my SwiftUI attachment placed in front of the stereoscopic image plane are invisible if the user look at it straight at 90 degrees. However, if the user look at it from increasing angles from the sides, the attachment gradually turns visible again. Are these behaviors expected? What is a recommended approach to overlay content in front of a RealityView? Thanks!
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391
Feb ’25
Entities moved with Manipulation Component in visionOS Beta 4 are clipped by volume bounds
In Beta 1,2, and 3, we could pick up and inspect entities, bringing them closer while moving them outside of the bounds of a volume. As of Beta 4, these entities are now clipped by the bounds of the volume. I'm not sure if this is a bug or an intended change, but I files a Feedback report (FB19005083). The release notes don't mention a change in behavior–at least not that I can find. Is this an intentional change or a bug? Here is a video that shows the issue. https://youtu.be/ajBAaSxLL2Y In the previous versions of visionOS 26, I could move these entities out of the volume and inspect them close up. Releasing would return them to the volume. Now they are clipped as soon as they reach the end of the volume. I haven't had a chance to test with windows or with the SwiftUI modifier version of manipulation.
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393
Jul ’25
AVPlayer stutters when using AVPlayerItemVideoOutput
We’re trying to build a custom player for Unity. For this, we’re using AVPlayer with AVPlayerItemVideoOutput to get textures. However, we noticed that playback is not smooth and the stream often freezes. For testing, we used this 8K video: https://deovr.com/nwfnq1 The video was played using the following code: @objc public func playVideo(urlString: String) { guard let url = URL(string: urlString) else { return } let pItem = AVPlayerItem(url: url) playerItem = pItem pItem.preferredForwardBufferDuration = 10.0 let pixelBufferAttributes: [String: Any] = [ kCVPixelBufferPixelFormatTypeKey as String: kCVPixelFormatType_420YpCbCr8BiPlanarVideoRange, kCVPixelBufferMetalCompatibilityKey as String: true, ] let output = AVPlayerItemVideoOutput( pixelBufferAttributes: pixelBufferAttributes ) pItem.add(output) playerItemObserver = pItem.observe(\.status) { [weak self] pItem, _ in guard pItem.status == .readyToPlay else { return } self?.playerItemObserver = nil self?.player.play() } player = AVPlayer(playerItem: pItem) player.currentItem?.preferredPeakBitRate = 35_000_000 } When AVPlayerItemVideoOutput is attached, the video stutters and the log looks like this: 🟢 Playback likely to keep up 🟡 Buffer ahead: 4.08s | buffer: 4.08s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 4.08s | buffer: 4.08s 🟡 Buffer ahead: -0.07s | buffer: 0.00s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.94s | buffer: 3.49s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.50s | buffer: 4.06s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.74s | buffer: 4.30s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.74s | buffer: 4.30s 🟠 Playback may stall 🛑 Buffer empty 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.09s | buffer: 4.30s 🟠 Playback may stall 🟠 Playback may stall 🛑 Buffer empty 🟠 Playback may stall 🟣 Buffer full 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.41s | buffer: 1.43s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.41s | buffer: 1.43s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.07s | buffer: 1.43s 🟣 Buffer full 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.47s | buffer: 1.65s 🟠 Playback may stall 🛑 Buffer empty 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.10s | buffer: 1.65s 🟠 Playback may stall 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.99s | buffer: 2.03s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.99s | buffer: 2.03s 🟣 Buffer full 🟣 Buffer full 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.41s | buffer: 2.00s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.68s | buffer: 2.27s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.09s | buffer: 2.27s 🟠 Playback may stall 🛑 Buffer empty 🟠 Playback may stall When we remove AVPlayerItemVideoOutput from the player, the video plays smoothly, and the output looks like this: 🟢 Playback likely to keep up 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.94s | buffer: 1.94s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.94s | buffer: 1.94s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.22s | buffer: 2.22s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.05s | buffer: 3.05s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.12s | buffer: 4.12s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.18s | buffer: 5.18s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 0.72s | buffer: 5.72s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.27s | buffer: 7.28s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.09s | buffer: 3.03s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 4.16s | buffer: 6.10s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 6.66s | buffer: 7.09s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 5.66s | buffer: 7.09s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 4.66s | buffer: 7.09s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 4.02s | buffer: 7.45s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 3.62s | buffer: 8.05s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.62s | buffer: 8.05s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.49s | buffer: 3.53s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 2.43s | buffer: 3.38s 🟡 Buffer ahead: 1.90s | buffer: 3.85s We’ve tried different attribute settings for AVPlayerItemVideoOutput. We also removed all logic related to reading frame data, but the choppy playback still remained. Can you advise whether this is a player issue or if we’re doing something wrong?
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399
Oct ’25
window loses resize feature on reopening
I have this problem on VisionOS. When I dismiss and reopen a window from a ImagePresentationComponent, the window misses the resize ui elements when I look at the window corners. The rest of the window ui elements (drag, close...) are there. Resizing was possible before the window was dismissed. The code is something like this: WindowGroup(id: "image-display-window",..... } .windowResizability(.automatic) .windowStyle(.plain) I call dismissWindow() from the window view and it is dismissed correctly. Then I call openWindow(id: "image-display-window", value: data) from another view to reopen it. It reopens but it missing the possibility to resize. Anyone knows how to fix this? Thanks.
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258
Dec ’25
AR QuickLook Frame Rate Questions
When I've made an animated UDSZ, at what framerate will the animation be rendered in QuickLook? Is it the same across all devices? (iPhone, Apple Vision Pro, etc.) and viewing environments? (QuickLook, inside an ARView, etc.) Suppose I export my file at 30fps and the device draws at 60fps, does the device interpolate between frames automatically, animate at a lower frame rate, or play it at twice the speed? What if it were 24fps? My primary concern with understanding frame rates is a bit of trouble I've had making perfectly looping animations. There always seems to be the slightest stutter between iterations. Thanks in advance for any insights you're able to provide!
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264
Mar ’25
how to achieve "concave in" glass view look?
I have been trying to implement this look where a component looks "pushed in" but I could not find any resources regarding this effect. The closest I got was a combination of a RoundedRectangle and .glassBackgroundEffect(), but this makes the view look pushed out, instead of pushed in. I was wondering if this is achievable in SwiftUI level, or even in UIKit level.
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120
Apr ’25
Cast virtual light on real-world environments in VisionOS/RealityKit?
Hi everyone, I've been exploring an idea that involves using virtual light sources in VisionOS/RealityKit to interact with real-world objects. Specifically, I'd like to simulate a scenario where a virtual spotlight or other light source casts light or shadows onto real-world environments, creating the effect of virtual lighting interacting with physical surroundings. Is this currently feasible within VisionOS/RealityKit? Thank you!
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435
Jan ’25
CustomMaterial disable unlit tone mapping
Hi, since iOS 18 UnlitMaterial and ShaderGraphMaterial have the option to disable tone mapping, e.g via https://developer.apple.com/documentation/realitykit/unlitmaterial/init(applypostprocesstonemap:) Is it possible to do the same for CustomMaterial? I tried initializing a CustomMaterial based on an UnlitMaterial where tone mapping is disabled, like so: let unlitMat = UnlitMaterial(applyPostProcessToneMap: false) let customMaterial = try CustomMaterial( from: unlitMat, surfaceShader: surfaceShader, geometryModifier: geometryModifier ) but that does not seem to work. The colors of my texture still look altered in comparison to a plain UnlitMaterial or a ShaderGraphMaterial where its disabled. Any hints? Thank you!
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126
Jun ’25
fileImporter issue in visionOS with iPhone app (that can run on visionOS)
Happy new year to all! I have created an iOS app that also runs on Apple Vision Pro. On iOS, when you activate the fileImporter modal, you can swipe down the modal in iOS to dismiss. However, in visionOS, this same modal CANNOT be swiped down to cancel/dismiss. If you are drilled deep into a file hierarchy, you have to navigate back to the top level to tap X to dismiss. Is there a way to add swipe down to the visionOS implementation of fileImporter, or any other workaround so the user doesn't have to navigate back to the top to dismiss? Again, this is not a visionOS app but an iOS app compatible for use in Vision Pro. Thanks!
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663
4d
Displaying spatial photos and videos on web pages in Safari
The purpose is to create a simple web-based gallery of spatial photos and videos using static html files. I have successfully displayed spatial photos using the img tag and IMG.heic files. I can tap and hold the image to bring up the contextual menu and from there select View Spatial Photo. Is there any way to add a control to the image, like a link or overlay on the image itself, that a user can simply tap to show the image in 3D? And how to host a video file on a web page without going through a CDN/streaming service? Sample html would be much appreciated.
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685
4d
Summon gesture
Can you help to write a code able to pick an element a bit far from me, then bring it near to me, flick it a bit and then send it back to its original position when I release it? Thanks a lot, Christophe
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64
Apr ’25