Apple Reportedly Working With Sony to Bring PlayStation VR Controllers to Vision Pro

Apple has reportedly partnered with Sony Group to support third-party hand controllers on its Vision Pro headset. The two companies began discussions earlier this year and have since come to an agreement to add Vision Pro support for Sony’s PlayStation VR hand controllers, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman wrote in his Power On newsletter over the weekend. 

Although PlayStation 5 and Xbox controllers are currently supported by Vision Pro, they lack the six degrees of freedom required for precise VR gaming experiences. 

If the report holds true, this would mark a significant shift toward Apple embracing gaming, a slight shift from its initial focus on creating a product geared primarily toward immersive content viewing and productivity. 

Although Apple is not currently expected to release its own controller, Gurman’s report revealed the company spent years developing a so-called “wand” for the headset — an Apple Pencil-like tool designed for precise control. This perhaps signals Apple recognized early on the potential limitations of relying solely on hand and eye gestures. But the company abandoned the wand concept, fearing it would confuse developers and increase costs, he wrote.

The report comes at a time when Apple has sold fewer than half a million Vision Pro headsets, with many customers reportedly returning the device or using it less than anticipated, according to Gurman. Meanwhile, Apple is said to be considering a lower-budget version of the $3,500 headset that would offload computing power to the iPhone and feature less advanced capabilities as part of its effort to broaden the product’s appeal.

While the Vision Pro has won praise among critics, it has struggled to achieve widespread consumer traction. In an October interview with The Wall Street Journal, CEO Tim Cook acknowledged the challenges: “At $3,500, it’s not a mass-market product. Right now, it’s an early-adopter product.”

Beyond the issue of controllers, content development remains a challenge as developers may hesitate to pour resources and money into creating games for an unproven gaming platform. And while there are some Vision Pro games available on the App Store, few have made a meaningful impact. In contrast, Meta’s Quest headsets lean on exclusive gaming to drive demand.