Apple’s latest venture into the realm of virtual reality, the Vision Pro, has received a rather tepid response from app developers. According to recent data from the App Store, only a small fraction of the 1.8 million apps have been updated specifically for the Vision Pro. As of this weekend, the AR/VR device’s App Store has just over 150 apps that were explicitly updated for the Vision Pro, as per data from market intelligence firm Appfigures.
Compatibility and Developer Response
It’s important to note that this figure does not represent the total number of apps available for the Vision Pro. The device is theoretically compatible with iOS and iPad apps, unless a developer chooses to opt out. However, the number does give an indication of how many companies have rushed to build for the new platform. Given the size of Apple’s wider developer base, it’s a relatively small number.
There could be several reasons why developers are not rushing to customize their apps or build new ones specifically for Apple’s latest platform. These could include a limited supply of Vision Pro headsets for testing, the understanding that the market opportunity for their apps may be small for some time due to the device’s hefty price point, and the challenges of translating small, touchscreen-optimized apps to a different computing environment.
Impact of Apple’s Developer Relations
One cannot overlook the negative sentiment that Apple has stirred among its developer community following the fallout of Epic Games’ antitrust lawsuit against the tech giant. Despite Apple largely winning the case, the court ruling required Apple to modify its App Store rules. This has led to a developer-hostile attitude that could potentially impact Apple’s wider developer community, a community that had previously rushed to embrace Apple’s new platforms.
Big Names Opting Out
With the Vision Pro, Apple rivals like YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify have chosen not to build for Apple’s latest platform. This is likely due to the increasing competition from Apple in their markets with its own video and music streaming services. Meta, which makes its own VR headset, has also unsurprisingly opted not to specifically build native apps for the Vision Pro.
What’s Available for Vision Pro Users?
Despite the lukewarm response from developers, there’s still plenty for Vision Pro users to do with their new headset at launch. Apple has stated that the Vision Pro will allow users to download and stream content from a variety of platforms. Additionally, Appfigures reveals a few other big brands and popular apps that have been built for Vision Pro specifically, including Box, Carrot Weather, Webex, Zoom, Fantastical, and others.
