Report: Apple Continues to Explore Health Capabilities of Vision Pro - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Report: Apple Continues to Explore Health Capabilities of Vision Pro

Apple has explored using its Vision Pro headset to diagnose and treat mental health problems, among other health monitoring capabilities, The Information's Wayne Ma reports.

Vision Pro Person
Citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter, Ma explains that Apple has experimented with using the Vision Pro to track a user's facial expressions to detect depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health issues. Specifically, eye-tracking, pupil dilation, and external cameras can measure a person's "affect," a psychological term that refers to how an individual expresses emotions.

A so-called "flat affect," otherwise known as an emotionless facial expression, can be a sign of specific mental health difficulties. Upon detection of such a problem, the Vision Pro would then display relevant images and play sounds that could improve the wearer's mental state. Virtual reality headsets have already been used by researchers to diagnose and treat phobias and PTSD by safely exposing patients to their fears.

Apple has also apparently discussed using the Vision Pro's infrared eye tracking-cameras to detect swelling in the blood vessels of the eyes to spot an early sign of heart failure. The company explored using the headset to detect weight changes and evaluate a user's movement over time, using this data to screen for health issues such as Parkinson's disease, but the feature had a major setback when Apple removed the full body-tracking capabilities from the Vision Pro due to unreliability.

Features that claim to diagnose or treat health issues would need to undergo clinical studies and receive approval from health regulators before being released to the public, but some Apple employees are apparently concerned about the legal liability of making more health-related claims, which could limit the scope of the features. Other employees are said to be skeptical that the Vision Pro will be as effective as other methods of treatment, such as medicine.

Teams and significant individuals inside Apple are said to have extensively discussed or explored health, wellness, and fitness features for the Vision Pro, including Mike Rockwell, the head of Apple's Vision Products Group. The company has reportedly hired health experts to explore features for the device. The Information was unable to learn whether mental health features will arrive on the first-generation Vision Pro headset, or if it will be reserved for future models. The sources added that such features may never launch at all, but the company continues to brainstorm health-related uses for the headset.

Ma added that Apple has also explored the mental health detection capabilities of other devices such as the iPhone, using the front-facing camera to track a user's mood, as well as monitor app usage and typed words to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

apple silicon gray

Apple May Return to Server Market With Nvidia Technology

Wednesday September 16, 2026 6:53 am PDT by
Apple is considering offering an AI server built around "M8" series chips and has discussed incorporating Nvidia networking hardware, The Information reports. The system would be sold to outside customers, potentially bringing Apple back into a business it left behind when it discontinued Xserve in 2011. Apple is reportedly targeting companies that want to run AI models on their own...
Vision Pro M5 Announcement

New Vision Pro Headset: Apple Considering Four Different Concepts

Monday September 28, 2026 3:52 am PDT by
Apple is working on a "completely revamped" Vision Pro headset that could go in any of four directions and likely won't arrive before late 2028 or early 2029, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said Apple's Vision team is exploring four concepts for the device, codenamed N224, including designs that offload internal components in a similar ...
General visionOS watchOS and tvOS Betas Feature Redux

Apple Releases First watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2 and visionOS 27.2 Betas

Wednesday September 16, 2026 10:12 am PDT by
Alongside new betas of iOS 27.2, iPadOS 27.2, and macOS Golden Gate 27.2, Apple has released the first betas of watchOS 27.2, tvOS 27.2, and visionOS 27.2. The betas come two days after the 27.0 software updates were released. Registered developers can download the betas through the Settings app on each device. Two new Apple Intelligence features are coming to the Apple Watch Series 12...

Top Rated Comments

ProfessionalFan Avatar
39 months ago
If this can actually work and be reliable, it'd be life changing. Even if it never comes to fruition, props to Apple for trying to make it a reality.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
39 months ago

Upon detection of such a problem, the Vision Pro would then display relevant images and play sounds that could improve the wearer's mental state.
This will be the ultimate AR application: make reality appear more tolerable than it actually is.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
victorvictoria Avatar
39 months ago
"Apple has explored using its Vision Pro headset to diagnose and treat mental health problems, among other health monitoring capabilities…"

That is the single most ironic statement I've ever read in reference to entertainment technology. Using the product to mitigate the damage the product causes. Genius!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
39 months ago
Still a scuba mask, or Sega genesis game controller stuck to someones face. No thanks just yet...

I love the functionality but the design.... Im sure they will do great on future revisions. Maybe these added features will be worth it... but lets se what comes.

One thing I know for sure.. wearing that will cause you mental health issues... the number of people laughing at you! Laughing at you for the look, and the fact you spent that much money on it too.

It should come with a warning... wearing this may result in extreme embarrassment.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
39 months ago
Somehow I doubt keeping a screen a few cm away from your eyes for potentially long periods of time is considered healthy
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
39 months ago



I don't absolutely love it. In fact, I've offered in writing more than once that it could turn out to be a big pile of...

I lean positive on the concept because of how much time & money Apple has put into it. It is my experience that Apple usually puts out good tech stuff. Can they make mistakes? Of course they can. But their track record is above average and I'll let that bias me a bit to the positive on this brand new product from Apple after 6+ years in development.

Rather than jump to a conclusion that it IS a pile of..., I reserve judgement until I can see it and try it myself. Right now, it's still mostly vapor, into which we can imagine any amount of negative of positive. I certainly see some very positive potential in it- like the ability to have a desktop-sized screen or two wherever I might try to get work done on a laptop.

However, I readily acknowledge some of the negatives:

* It IS something on people's faces.
* It WILL be a weird thing to see for at least a while out in the wild (as is all new, very visible things)
* 2-hour battery life seems towards pitiful.
* The cord to connect headset to battery seems to have great snag potential.
* That rumors say they can't even make very many implies small uptake even if they sell every unit they make... and small numbers do not excite developers.
* Price seems VERY high, even for Apple vs. fairly popular competitors already established (very iPod-like when it launched vs. established competitors).
* Will heavy usage lead to acne issues, blemishes, sustaining marks on a face?
* Vpro hair (like bed head) on removal?
* Etc. (there's plenty of tangible, plausible fuel for pessimism)

Obviously, I can readily take a pessimistic stance too. There's clearly a number of apparent features & benefits I do NOT love.

But, I can then switch lenses and see obvious, sizable benefits too. For me that any-size screen, anywhere I want to get some laptop work done is HUGE... a very obvious solution to a very tangible problem for me. As is, many tech makers are trying to find ways to put bigger screens in mobile use scenarios with Folds and Rolls. I see this as an Apple crack at the same without the crease & mechanical wear... and far larger screens than the 2X or 3X potential in unfolding/unrolling pocketable tech.

Working on an ultra-wide desktop most of the time, an ultra-wide laptop screen without the weight and size of a same-sized physical laptop is VERY APPEALING to me. So against my issues with 2-hour battery life, price, cord, thing on my face, etc. I can see many positives too.

If you were to read a good cross-section of my posts, you would see that I'm neither extremist Apple fan nor extremist Apple pessimist. I should come across as clearly somewhere in the middle... as objective as I can be, solely biased to viewing all through a CONSUMER (not a stockholder) lens. Sometimes, that has me faulting some Apple decisions and products and sometimes I'm praising. But I'm never an extremist.

And for products that do not interest me at all- like Apple Watch- I waste no time in threads about Watch, as there's nothing for me there and I don't expect to save anyone from owning something that doesn't interest me. To the millions and millions who own and love an Apple Watch, good for them. I'm glad it exists for them.
I don’t necessarily completely agree nor disagree with all that you have said, but I respect the thought you have put into your perspective and your efforts to communicate it. Most especially, I respect your nuanced, sincere, and open minded commentary and find it useful and worth my time to have read.

I only wish there this forum could have more thoughtful dialogue such as yours and less of the herd mentality, snarky posts from mindless attention sluts trying to out troll each other.
For some reason, AVP articles seem to be a particularly strong attractor for useless, repetitive, and uniformed posting that just gets in the way of actually interesting, productive discussion about something that has potential to become a rather significant topic.
Thank you.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
Touchscreen MacBook Pro Could Launch on November 6
31 minutes ago
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
New Withings Users Must Pay $99/Year for Apple Health Syncing
33 minutes ago
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
Meta and Apple Bring Muse Spark Open AI Model to Mac Studio
2 hours ago
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
iPad Mini 8: Apple Has Tested Both 60Hz and 120Hz ProMotion Displays
2 hours ago
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
Apple TV 4K 2022 vs. 2026 Buyer's Guide: All Differences Compared
4 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
Apple CEO John Ternus on Early Foldables: 'Kind of Cheap and Crappy'
4 hours ago
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
Greg Joswiak Says Apple Isn't Focused on Making AI for 'Lunatic Fringe'
5 hours ago
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
Amazon Offers $120 Discount on AirPods Max 2, $50 Off AirPods Pro 3
5 hours ago
Apple CEO John Ternus Featured on Cover of TIME Magazine: 'New Era'
Apple CEO John Ternus Featured on Cover of TIME Magazine: 'New Era'
6 hours ago
Apple Announces Deadline to 'Get Ready' to Pre-Order the iPhone Duo
Apple Announces Deadline to 'Get Ready' to Pre-Order the iPhone Duo
7 hours ago
MKBHD is 'Not Convinced' About Apple's New HomeView, Here's Why
MKBHD is 'Not Convinced' About Apple's New HomeView, Here's Why
7 hours ago
Apple's Wall-Mounted HomeView Ships Without a Power Adapter
Apple's Wall-Mounted HomeView Ships Without a Power Adapter
7 hours ago
Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million
Rare Apple-1 With Steve Jobs Letter Sells for $1.15 Million
8 hours ago
Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'
Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'
8 hours ago
iPhone Duo's A20 Pro Chip Benchmarked Ahead of Launch
iPhone Duo's A20 Pro Chip Benchmarked Ahead of Launch
19 hours ago
10 HomeView Features You Might Have Missed
10 HomeView Features You Might Have Missed
21 hours ago
Apple Becomes Second Company to Close Above $5 Trillion
Apple Becomes Second Company to Close Above $5 Trillion
21 hours ago
Which Apple Home Devices Get Siri AI, and When
Which Apple Home Devices Get Siri AI, and When
22 hours ago
Apple's Long-Delayed HomeView Was Already Being Tested in 2024
Apple's Long-Delayed HomeView Was Already Being Tested in 2024
23 hours ago
Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3
Apple Intelligence Coming to China in December With iOS 27.3
23 hours ago
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
Apple Invites App Updated With Two New Features
23 hours ago
OpenAI Says Ex-Employee Showed Its Device Plans to Apple
OpenAI Says Ex-Employee Showed Its Device Plans to Apple
1 day ago
Discover the Best Cases and Screen Protectors for Your New iPhone Duo
Discover the Best Cases and Screen Protectors for Your New iPhone Duo
1 day ago
Apple Store Near Los Angeles Closed Due to 'Events Beyond Our Control'
Apple Store Near Los Angeles Closed Due to 'Events Beyond Our Control'
1 day ago
No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported
No, HomePod Mini 1 Won't Support Siri AI as CNET Reported
1 day ago
iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up
iPhone Duo Compromises: Everything You Have to Give Up
1 day ago
Apple HomeView Has These 15 Apps, Some CarPlay Apps and Widgets Also Supported
Apple HomeView Has These 15 Apps, Some CarPlay Apps and Widgets Also Supported
1 day ago
iPhone Duo: Apple Charging $49 for New Cover Layer, $229 for Battery
iPhone Duo: Apple Charging $49 for New Cover Layer, $229 for Battery
1 day ago
iPhone Duo: Skipping AppleCare+ Could Be $1,499 Mistake
iPhone Duo: Skipping AppleCare+ Could Be $1,499 Mistake
1 day ago
Ready for HomeView? Don't Miss These Smart Home Accessory Deals
Ready for HomeView? Don't Miss These Smart Home Accessory Deals
1 day ago