While Meta✴ CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn’t like Apple’s Vision Pro mixed reality headset and thought their Quest 3 headset was overall better than the competition, app developers don’t seem to agree. According to Apple Marketing Director Greg Joswiak, more than a thousand different native applications have already been created for Vision Pro. And that’s not counting the over 1.5 million apps for iOS and iPad OS that are compatible with the headset.
“Many thanks to our developers. Through their hard work, they have already created over 1000 amazing applications specifically for Vision Pro. And this is without taking into account the over 1.5 million applications already compatible with the headset. We’re excited to see how they continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.” wrote Joswiak on social network X.
Even before the Vision Pro headset went on sale, more than 150 different applications were developed specifically for it. Apple promised that more than 600 applications will be available at the start of device sales. However, the developer community exceeded this expectation, writes TechCrunch.
While most observers, not counting the obviously biased Zuckerberg, call the Vision Pro the best mixed reality headset on the market, the device has a long way to go to gain mass popularity. The problem here, in no small part, is the enormous cost of the headset, which starts at $3,500. This significantly reduces the potential user base for app developers. However, App Store data shows that more than half of app developers for Vision Pro use a paid business model instead of a freemium or freemium basis with in-app purchases or subscriptions. This means that even if only a few hundred users buy such applications, the developers will receive a guaranteed income from their work.
While Vision Pro is capable of running more than 1.5 million different apps for iOS and iPad OS, apps designed specifically for the headset can take advantage of the same spatial control. Streaming apps have already been created for the headset: Disney+, ESPN, MLB, PGA Tour, Max, Discovery+, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Fubo, Crunchyroll, Red Bull TV, IMAX, TikTok and MUBI. There is no native Netflix app yet, which is notable. Sports services PGA Tour, MLS, NBA, Red Bull TV and others have also released their applications specifically for Vision Pro. Microsoft, Slack, Notion, Zoom, WebEx and other companies also presented their developments.
In addition to major market players, independent developers are also contributing to the development of the Vision Pro software ecosystem. For example, Christian Selig created the Juno application, which allows you to view YouTube videos on the Vision Pro.
According to developer Jordi Bruin, he is working on the Persona Studio application, designed to improve the social capabilities of the Vision Pro headset, which he currently believes are inferior to competitors, writes TechCrunch. We are talking about an application that will allow you to create a virtual three-dimensional avatar of the user for communication via Vision Pro with other users. Apple’s own app makes people look weird and different from themselves, but Persona Studio aims to fix that, Brewin says.
The rise in native apps for Vision Pro shortly after the headset’s launch suggests that many developers in the Apple community see the new gadget as a viable platform for their success. While some of the biggest players in the market still haven’t released their apps for the headset, it’s clear that many in the developer community are interested in working with the new device.
In related news, venture capital fund Y Combinator said it has added new startups focused on “spatial computing” technologies (Apple’s term for virtual and augmented reality) to its list of interests, signaling its view that this area of the market expects further growth.
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