Apple Vision Pro May Support Sony PSVR2 Controller Soon

Apple's Vision Pro could soon support the Sony PSVR2 controllers as part of the company's plan to widen the adoption of its mixed-reality headset. According to a new report, Apple and Sony have reached a strategic partnership under which Vision Pro users could use PSVR2 controllers, which Apple would start selling through its stores, to access the platform and installed apps. Adding support for PSVR2 controllers could also allow Apple to boost Vision Pro sales, which have staggered since the launch largely due to the headset's high price.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman noted in the latest post on his Power On newsletter that Apple and Sony were set to announce the partnership "weeks ago." However, they had to postpone it for unspecified reasons. Nevertheless, the partnership is imminent and could help Apple tap into the pool of developers for Sony's PSVR2 platform. Gurman said Apple has asked third-party developers to leverage the partnership and offer functionality for the PSVR2 controllers.

This could allow Apple to target the virtual reality gaming industry as the current Vision Pro setup falls short of functionalities that the likes of Sony PSVR2 dedicatedly offer to gamers.

However, there could be more use cases. Gurman said Apple could allow PSVR2 owners to navigate visionOS, including precision controls in apps such as Final Cut Pro or Adobe Photoshop. This could solve the problem that most Vision Pro users face with the existing hands and fingers-based gesture inputs. Although the Vision Pro supports Bluetooth controllers for visionOS navigation through physical buttons, there is only so much they help get done. The lack of an ecosystem for Apple's mixed reality headset could be one of the reasons for its slow adoption, other than the exorbitant price.

While the partnership with Sony could solve that, it could also set the stage for a trimmed-down and cheaper Vision Pro model, rumoured to arrive after 2027, per renowned analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.