Apple and Sony Working on VR Gaming Controller Support for Vision Pro

Apple and Sony are teaming up to bring support for PlayStation VR2 hand controllers to the Vision Pro, BloombergMark Gorman reports.

Sony PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller

He writes in his latest work Authority on the newsletterGorman says the partnership has been in development for several months and will offer Sony’s VR controllers as an optional accessory for Vision Pro users. Gurman points out that PS5 and Xbox controllers are already supported by Vision Pro, but they are not optimized for VR experiences, and lack the six degrees of freedom (6DOF) needed for precise control in VR games.

Since Sony’s VR2 controllers are currently integrated with the PlayStation VR2 headset, Sony will need to start selling them as standalone accessories, and that will likely happen through Apple’s retail and online stores.

Beyond gaming, consoles can enhance productivity and media editing tasks in VisionOS, Gorman says. This will allow users to navigate the operating system using the thumbstick and directional pad to scroll on the controller, while the power button can replace the finger pinch gesture for selection.

The timing of the announcement remains uncertain, and the companies have already postponed the initially planned reveal. This partnership comes as Apple faces challenges with adoption of the Vision Pro, with Gurman reporting that fewer than 500,000 units have been sold since its launch in February, according to his sources.