Phil Traut ᯅ
@SpatiallyMe • 5,342 subscribers
Digital Storyteller | Apple Vision Pro Content Creator sharing apps, news, and more. Creator of @choclift, Head of Product @AuraTap_app
Shorts
Videos
You can now pin a dock of your recently opened Mac apps right on your desk and switch between them with a single tap when using Mac Virtual Display on Vision Pro. It updates automatically so you always have a direct shortcut to the apps you’re currently working with. You can even pin your favourites to the front of the line to create your perfect setup. It‘s called App Time Travel, and it's one of the headline features in the big new choclift for Vision Pro update, available today.
Phil Traut ᯅ121,552 views • 1 day ago
I’ve never really used Apple Shortcuts on Mac because triggering them never felt natural enough in my workflow. So I built a free app that lets you launch Apple Shortcuts, apps and websites on your Mac with a quick tap on the device that’s probably sitting next to you anyway. It’s called choclift, and it’s probably the sweetest app you’ll try today.
Phil Traut ᯅ124,548 views • 8 days ago
I just launched a free App that lets you open Mac Apps…from your iPhone. And close them with a swipe. A much faster drag and drop. And a ton of more features in the pipeline. It’s called choclift and you really should try it out. Available for free in the App Store for iOS and macOS.
Phil Traut ᯅ502,018 views • 1 month ago
I am absolutely STUNNED - I just got a glimpse into the future of watching TV together 🤯 We currently have two Vision Pros in our household (temporarily, we are not that rich), and we decided to try watching a movie side by side with SharePlay. What can I say? It actually worked. The sound and video on both headsets were perfectly in sync— Like 100% in sync. Even the Personas sticked to the real person. It was absolutely mind-blowing how seamless it was and now I can't stop wondering if Apple already thought about this use-case. We watched 3D movies in different environments, relaxed in the cinema, and even shared the exact same sized virtual screen in our living room, perfectly aligned in the same position. If these headsets eventually reach a more reasonable price point, I can absolutely see this becoming a better way to watch movies together. I never would have imagined it would work THIS well. #VisionPro
Phil Traut ᯅ5,081,511 views • 1 year ago
I’ve created a way to use your iPhone to travel through time and apps on your Mac. It features a liquid glass timeline that lets you jump between recently opened apps on your Mac and updates in real-time. You can even pin apps to the front of the timeline to create the perfect app launcher combination for your current workflow.
Phil Traut ᯅ127,662 views • 27 days ago
My new Vision Pro app lets you switch between apps on your Mac… just by touching your desk. Bringing choclift to visionOS changed how I think about using a Mac in spatial computing. It’s not just about having a massive display – it opens up entirely new productivity workflows. Best part: if you lock it to your desk, it’s always there when you use Mac Virtual Display – even after restarting the device.
Phil Traut ᯅ133,036 views • 1 month ago
Open Mac apps on your iPhone with my new app choclift 🍫 After extending my Mac screen with Vision Pro, I wanted even more connectivity between devices so I explored the advantage of having a separate user interface just for app management. It seems simple but it actually allows for a lot of new workflows and use-cases as you might think. Everyone works differently so we’re building this app as a platform that will support many different workflows, beyond just opening apps. Stay tuned as I’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks.
Phil Traut ᯅ157,893 views • 2 months ago
THIS is how you do an Apple Museum. I got invited to the exclusive opening of the Apple Museum in Utrecht, which felt like the perfect way to celebrate 50 years of the company that has shaped my life for the past 16 years. But this is not just another collection. Through their unique displays, the museum conveys the core values and philosophies of Steve Jobs: seeing art in technology, approaching concepts in new ways, and paying attention to the smallest details. I couldn’t stop smiling. If you’re a fan of Apple, this is not only a must-visit, but probably one of the greatest Apple experiences you’ll ever have. Shot entirely on Apple Vision Pro.
Phil Traut ᯅ111,181 views • 2 months ago
Using gestures on your iPhone to copy, paste, and control apps on your Mac is pure ecosystem magic. My free app lets you switch between your favorite Mac apps with just a touch, minimize and maximize them with a swipe, and even use a grab-and-throw gesture to copy and paste. choclift is now available with a big update on the App Store for iOS and macOS.
Phil Traut ᯅ53,493 views • 29 days ago
Never underestimate the speed at which visionOS is evolving. Just three weeks later, with the latest beta, the Logitech Muse now supports almost any app and can be used for input across the entire system. I tested it with my favorite drawing app, TouchDesk, and it’s incredibly smooth – it feels just like using an Apple Pencil since you don’t even have to press a button to draw. You just touch the desk. There’s no lag, and it even provides subtle haptic feedback while drawing. The last time I reviewed it, I wasn’t entirely sure I could recommend it, but with the new system-wide support coming to visionOS, I think it’s now a must-have for every Vision Pro enthusiast.
Phil Traut ᯅ278,376 views • 6 months ago
I’ve spent the last few days testing the performance of Apple Vision Pro with M5 — here’s how it stacks up against the original. It’s 35% quicker when booting up, widgets appear almost instantaneously, Safari is noticeably more responsive, and creating Spatial Scenes also feels much faster. The most impressive, and most interesting difference, though, comes with Apple Intelligence features, especially the Writing Tools. It summarized a reeeally long Wikipedia article in half the time. It really makes me wonder if Apple has more AI capabilities up its sleeve that the M5 will eventually unlock.
Phil Traut ᯅ240,050 views • 7 months ago
Immersa just solved one of Apple Vision Pro’s biggest problems. Right now, there are filmmakers and studios creating incredible immersive videos that most people never get to see, simply because distribution is still too complicated. The app empowers creators to share their work simply through a link or publish it directly inside the app. If you’ve never experienced immersive video before, it genuinely feels like having an entire cinema to yourself. I can’t wait to see how much new immersive content this will unlock for all of us to get immersed in. Watch your first videos today in their free app!
Phil Traut ᯅ15,940 views • 15 days ago
They finally did it! YouTube is now an official app for Apple Vision Pro and can be downloaded from the App Store. It features 3D, 180 and 360-degree content and an optimised user interface. So far I really like it. Still, it feels surreal that this is actually happening.
Phil Traut ᯅ74,749 views • 3 months ago
Mac Virtual Display is the only ‘monitor’ that actually gets sharper as you move closer — it re-renders in real time based on your distance. That’s a huge shift for precision work. For example, if I’m designing fonts, I don’t have to zoom that much anymore. I just lean in, naturally, like I would toward a real object. People often ask me if the virtual display on Vision Pro looks as crisp as my Studio Display. But that’s not really a fair comparison. Physical screens obey real-world optics; spatial computing plays by its own rules — and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.
Phil Traut ᯅ122,084 views • 8 months ago
In order for your Vision Pro to feel lighter, you actually have to make it heavier. Doesn’t make sense? Oh, yes it does. Over the past few days, I’ve thoroughly tested the new Dual Knit Band. I used it for six hours straight while working, watched two lengthy movies, and played Porta Nubi for far too long. Trust me when I say — this is the most comfortable I’ve ever been in Vision Pro. The secret lies in its weight distribution, achieved by adding weight to the back strap. That might sound like a bad deal at first, but my head didn’t feel tired once. The band is compatible with the original Vision Pro and can be purchased separately for $99 (or 115€ incl. VAT in Germany)
Phil Traut ᯅ88,298 views • 7 months ago
Unpopular opinion: Vision Pro’s price and weight actually aren’t that much of a problem like many people want them to be. We’re far too focused on hardware these days. If you take a closer look at visionOS – as the blueprint for the computing platform of the future – you quickly realise that debating current hardware limitations isn’t where our attention should be right now. Think about it: If Vision Pros main role right now is to give us the best and most powerful tool to unlock the full potential of visionOS – to inspire, build, and dream the future, then comfort and affordability just aren’t the top priorities yet. And they shouldn't be. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for a future where this technology becomes more accessible and comfortable to use. But I believe we’re simply not at that stage yet. What we need right now to build the future isn’t the most affordable or lightest headset – it’s the best one.
Phil Traut ᯅ73,406 views • 6 months ago
I still can’t believe that Apple sent me the new Vision Pro with the M5 early to test and review. I’ve been testing it non-stop for almost a week now — and this is my full review, in my best bad German accent. Spoiler: It‘s a much bigger upgrade than you might think.
Phil Traut ᯅ74,797 views • 7 months ago
I just found my new #1 use case for Vision Pro 🤯 We recently had the first warm spring day, and I finally got to try working outside on my balcony – using my gigantic, ultra-wide, ultra-crisp, and ultra-cool virtual monitor. “Working outside offers a range of benefits – it improves mental health, boosts creativity, increases energy, and helps you focus better.” Okay, but I never liked working outside. Reflections, low screen brightness, and a small laptop monitor always held me back from spending more time on my balcony. But that’s over now. On Vision Pro, I could comfortably place my display anywhere, perfectly adjusted to my posture and workflow. It was bright, clear, and completely free of reflections. Once headsets become more affordable and lighter, people will realise this isn’t just a party trick – it’s a whole new way to work, and a much better one at that.
Phil Traut ᯅ125,493 views • 1 year ago