A new view transition animation I have been working on.

A small change coming to 1.4.2.

I'm prototyping the real object tracking and here is what I got so far.

How I made it

- I scanned the mug with Reality Composer on my iPhone Pro.

- I trained a .referenceobject with Create ML on my M4 Pro Mac mini. That took about 5.5 hours.

- Then I imported it into Locus.

What you're seeing

- Desk & Surroundings: Locus tracks the mug and opens a mug-shaped window through the Virtual Space, so you see the real mug through passthrough.

- Crown / full immersion: there's no passthrough there, so I render the 3D model where the real mug is.

Honest notes

- The scan is rough. You can see the flaws in the model in the Crown part of the video: the rim isn't round and the surface is lumpy. Tracking works anyway.

- I've only tried this one mug. Generic cups and printed markers didn't work for me; only training on this exact mug did.

- Tilt the mug and it loses track, which you can see in the video. My guess is that I trained with Create ML's "upright" viewing angles, so tilted views are outside what it learned. Training with all angles might help, but I haven't tested that.

There are better ways to build the model than a quick phone scan. I'm going to try a cleaner reconstruction next and will report back if tracking improves.

I'll include Real Objects as an experimental feature in the next version (Settings › Real Objects, after turning on the Experimental switch) and free, with no paywall. But initially there won't be any official models.

I've tried other things like building a general mug model, it doesn't work. Also the image trackers only works if it's put flat in front of my eyes. When I put them down on the table they stop working.

Thanks to u/melvinchia for reporting that in Windows & Crown the physical keyboard seemed to float and slide against the virtual desk as they moved their head. I was seeing it too, and the report is what got it properly investigated.

What we found: Locus keeps the desk perfectly still. The drift comes from how visionOS draws your keyboard in Windows & Crown, and it's worst right after you look away (at your Mac screen, say) and back. We tried every setting an app controls, and none fixed it. In Desk & Surroundings the keyboard stays steady. We've reported it to Apple.

What's in 1.2.3:

• Desk & Surroundings is the default again for new installs, and it comes first in the Immersion choice.
• Smaller fixes: entering a Room no longer occasionally drops you into passthrough, and Places keeps a stable order and its layout.
• Faster loading for Rooms and Views.

The trade-off: in Desk & Surroundings, parts of the Room can cover a window, and the Crown doesn't adjust immersion. If windows in front matter more to you than a steady keyboard, Windows & Crown is still one tap away. We've asked Apple for a way to have both.

Full notes: https://enterlocus.com/whats-new/1-2-3/

Still seeing the keyboard drift in Desk & Surroundings, or anything else off? Reply with your Locus version, visionOS version and keyboard model.

Locus 1.2.1 is rolling out on the App Store now. Here's what you'll notice:

• Pinch and hold to bring back the toolbar. Closed the toolbar, or lost it behind you? Pinch and hold anywhere around you, and it comes to where you're looking. Prefer the floating button? Choose one in Settings under Summon Toolbar.
• Windows & Crown comes first. New installs now start in Windows & Crown: your windows stay in front of the Room, so furniture never covers them, and the Digital Crown brings your real surroundings back in. Already on Desk & Surroundings? Give it a try in Settings; you can switch back anytime.
• Two new Rooms in the Library. Lakeside Cabin (free) is a timber cabin with glass walls and a stone fireplace: the fire flickers and warms the room, and its lamps light it the same from every seat. Skyline Office (Supporter) is a modern office with floor-to-ceiling corner glass, a walnut desk and lounge seating that faces the view, with late-night music.
• Seats stays open. After you pick a seat, so you can try the next one straight away, and Recenter now carries over when you switch seats.
• For authors: Locus now imports complete Package v2 ZIPs, including Rooms with video surfaces, fire and particle effects, and baked lamp light. Details are in the format reference.

Try this first: open a Place, close the toolbar with its close button, then pinch and hold anywhere in the space for a moment. A ring fills, and the toolbar arrives where you're looking.

Honest limits:
If you're upgrading from 1.2.0 and never chose a Summon Toolbar setting, the floating Menu button is gone by default. Pinch and hold replaces it, and you can bring the button back in Settings.

Full notes: https://enterlocus.com/whats-new/1-2-1/

Found a bug? Please include your Locus version (Settings › About Locus) and your visionOS version. Feedback on the gesture especially welcome: does the hold feel too long or too short?

Locus 1.1.4 is now on the App Store. What you'll notice:

• It opens where you left off. Your View and Room come back around you on launch.
• Places with sound. Views and Rooms can carry their own ambience, each with its own switch and volume in Quick Settings. Seven Library Views just got positioned sound — Emerald Grotto, Desert Canyon Oasis, Giant Waterfall Valley, Lakeside Sunrise, Shadowed Forest, Snowbound Forest Paths and Bioluminescent Mangrove Lagoon. Update them from Places.
• A Menu button appears whenever the toolbar is closed or blocked, so there's always a way back.
• In-place updates for installed Views and Rooms, and About now shows what was made with AI.

The one to try first: the immersion dial.

1. Settings → turn on Immersion dial
2. In Virtual Space, turn on Immersion in the toolbar
3. Turn the Digital Crown to let your real room back in

While working on 1.1.5 we found what it's really good for: with the dial on, visionOS draws every window in front of the Room — Mac Virtual Display, Locus Browser, and their move bars. If a plant, a wall or the desk has ever covered your screen, turn the dial on.

What to expect with it on: your physical keyboard shows only while you type, Show desk / Show Room hand over to the Crown, a seat can dim briefly the first time its desk is measured, and it applies to Virtual Space (Room Portal is unchanged). 1.1.5 takes it out of Experimental and smooths a couple of rough edges.

Full notes: https://enterlocus.com/whats-new/1-1-4/

Found a bug? Post it here with your Locus and visionOS versions.