More immersive sound, better Mac performance, and a more refined visual design

With this new update, 3DVista VT PRO continues improving the way virtual tours look, sound, and run across different devices.

Version 2026.1 introduces support for ambisonic audio, 360 videos with ambisonic audio, new Spatial Audio options for video hotspots and panorama audio, native support for Macs with Apple Silicon chips, support for MP4 files as audio, and new Background Blur options for skins and popups.

Ambisonic Audio and Spatial Audio: What Is the Difference?

Although both concepts are related to sound immersion, they are not exactly the same thing.

Ambisonic Audio refers to the type of audio or the format of the sound source. In other words, the file or video already contains 360º spatial sound information.

Spatial Audio, on the other hand, is an option inside VT PRO that allows certain sounds to behave in a more spatial way within the tour. For example, an audio or video hotspot can feel more integrated into the scene, instead of simply playing as a flat sound.

In other words: ambisonic audio is the immersive sound content you can import, while Spatial Audio is an option that helps certain sounds in the tour play back with a more natural sense of position and space.

Support for 360 Videos with Ambisonic Audio (Upgrade)

One of the most important additions in this update is support for 360 videos with ambisonic audio.

Ambisonic audio is a type of spatial audio designed for immersive content. Unlike traditional stereo audio, which distributes sound between left and right channels, ambisonic audio allows sound to be captured or reproduced as a 360º sound field around the user.

This means that, when viewing a 360 video, sound can behave in a much more natural way: if the user looks in a different direction, the perception of sound can remain consistent with the direction of the scene. For example, a sound coming from a specific area of the video can continue to feel like part of that space, instead of being heard as a flat background track.

This improvement adds a strong sense of realism to VR experiences, tourism visits, museums, training, simulations, industrial spaces, educational projects, or any tour where the sound atmosphere is important.

Some professional 360 video cameras and workflows allow ambisonic audio to be recorded or prepared, either directly from the camera or by combining 360 video recording with spatial microphones or audio recorders.

Support for 360 videos with ambisonic audio works on all compatible devices, including desktop, mobile, tablet, and VR.

Important: to apply this change to 360 videos that were already included in an existing project, it may be necessary to clear the project cache so that the videos are processed again with the new audio support.

Technical note: 3DVista supports First-Order Ambisonics (FOA), the most common ambisonic audio format. FOA uses 4 audio channels to encode sound directionality. Higher-order ambisonic formats, such as second-order ambisonics with 9 channels or third-order ambisonics with 16 channels, are not supported and will not work in this version.

Support for Ambisonic Audio (Upgrade)

In addition to support for 360 videos with ambisonic audio, VT PRO now also adds support for ambisonic audio as an audio source.

This makes it possible to use more immersive sounds inside the tour, especially in panoramas or scenes where a more realistic sense of presence is desired.

Ambisonic audio can be used for natural environments, interiors, cultural spaces, guided tours, simulations, or experiences where sound should surround the user in a more convincing way.

This feature is also available on desktop, mobile, tablet, and VR.

New “Spatial Audio” Option for Video Hotspots and Panorama Audio (Upgrade)

We have added the new “Spatial Audio” option for Video Hotspots and for Audio in Panoramas.

This option allows sound to be perceived in a way that is more connected to the space where it is located. For example, a video hotspot inside a panorama can feel better integrated into the scene, or audio placed in a panorama can contribute more realistically to the sense of direction and presence.

It is especially useful for interactive storytelling, training, cultural visits, museums, product demonstrations, or scenes where different sound elements should feel connected to the environment.

Spatial Audio works on desktop, mobile, tablet, and VR.

Native Support for Macs with Apple Silicon Chips / arm64

This version adds native support for Mac computers with Apple Silicon chips, including the arm64 architecture.

Until now, VT PRO could run on Apple Silicon Macs through Rosetta 2, Apple’s translation layer for applications originally built for Intel-based Macs. With this update, VT PRO now runs directly on Apple Silicon, making better use of the performance and efficiency of Apple’s current processors.

This can provide a more optimized experience for Mac users, especially when working with demanding projects that include 360 videos, 3D models, Gaussian Splatting, complex skins, or large virtual tours.

Native Apple Silicon support also makes VT PRO better aligned with the future of macOS, as Apple continues moving its platform toward its own chips and the arm64 architecture.

Important: in some cases, the transition to the native Apple Silicon version may require running the update twice. If the process is not completed after the first update, simply open the updater again to finish installing the native version.

New Background Blur for Skin Components (Upgrade)

Another visual improvement in this update is the addition of Background Blur to several Skin components.

Background Blur is a design effect that blurs what appears behind an interface element. It is widely used in modern apps, operating systems, and contemporary interface design because it creates depth, visual hierarchy, and a more elegant appearance without completely hiding the background content.

In a virtual tour, this allows panels, menus, popups, or interface elements to stand out more clearly over the scene, while still maintaining a more integrated and professional visual feel.

It is especially useful in real estate tours, premium projects, museums, e-learning, corporate presentations, or any tour where the interface plays an important role in the visual experience.

Background Blur is available on desktop, mobile, and tablet. To use it, simply click the “Edit Styles” button and adjust the new “Blur” value, which now appears below the Opacity property.

Note: Background Blur is not available in VR.

Background Blur in Dropdowns, Bars, and Popup X Actions (Upgrade)

We have also added Background Blur options to other popup and interface-related elements:

• Popup Background Blur in the Dropdown component.
• Background Blur in the Progress Bar editing window.
• Background Blur in the Playback Bar editing window.
• Background Blur for the veil in several “Popup X” actions.

These options make it possible to create more elegant popups and overlays, with a smoother and more professional visual effect than a simple flat color layer.

As with the other Background Blur options, these improvements are available on desktop, mobile, and tablet, but not in VR.

MP4 Support as Audio Source

VT PRO now also allows MP4 files to be used as audio sources, making it easier to work with audio exported from cameras, video editors, or production tools without needing additional conversions.

More Realism, Better Performance, and a More Modern Interface

Update 2026.1 focuses on three main areas: sound, performance, and visual design.

Support for ambisonic audio and the new Spatial Audio options make it possible to create more immersive and natural tours, especially in 360 and VR experiences. Native Apple Silicon support improves the experience on current Mac devices. And the new Background Blur options help create cleaner, more modern, and more professional interfaces.

Small details such as sound, visual depth, or performance optimization can make a big difference in the final feel of a virtual tour.

Want to try it?

This is an update available to all 3DVista users, although some of the features will require a valid Upgrade plan (what's that?).

Not a 3DVista user yet? Try our free 30-day trial (no credit card required) of the desktop software VT PRO to design and create your own virtual tours. You don't have any 360º content to work with yet? No problem. Just download our demo tours and use them in the software to play around with.