Native Apple Vision Pro apps few and far between at launch
New owners of the Apple Vision Pro may be disappointed by the selection of native apps at launch, with claims that roughly 150 have been developed with experiences made for the headset.
Apple's visionOS menu system
Apple opened up a version of the App Store for the Apple Vision Pro on January 16, giving developers the opportunity to add their apps ahead of the headset's February 2 release date. However, it seems that very few developers will be actually offering apps to users that actually take advantage of the headset's capabilities at the start.
On the weekend, research by AppFigures reported by TechCrunch indicates that there may be little more than 150 apps that have been updated to include Vision Pro-specific functionality, namely some form of virtual reality or mixed reality component. It's still possible that more will be added by the time the Apple Vision Pro is in users' hands, but it's still a very small start for a major new platform.
Users will still have a massive variety of apps to use that will be compatible with the headset from the start, though, with Apple automatically porting over iPadOS apps with minimal input needed from developers, unless they opt out. The difference is that, rather than being a fully-fledged 3D environment, for example, these apps will operate within visionOS as a flat 2D app within a window.
The small number of apps that offer spatial computing elements could be explained by a number of factors, including that developers may not be willing to put resources towards a platform that will have relatively few users, at least at the start of its life.
There have also been limited amounts of hardware shared with developers to help perfect apps for the headset.
Key standout apps that won't be on Apple Vision Pro at launch will be Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify, which are not enabling iPad apps on the platform. By contrast, the Disney+ app is a major launch partner for Apple, and has incorporated full 3D environments that users can sit in while they watch content.
So far, it is believed Apple sold between 160,000 and 180,000 units in the first weekend of pre-orders.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
People have such short memories. They recall Apple's hit products as being birthed as hits, conveniently forgetting in the comparisons to Vision Pro that these hits, in fact, were often derided by the tech press at launch and/or seriously underwhelming in the performance dept. (See iPod, Macbook Air, iPad and Apple Watch.) Here's a thought: stop with the coverage of sales numbers and marketing for this year--Apple will hit its target, end of story--and start focusing on what native apps available for the platform can do, as well as interviewing developers about what they see as possibilities in the near term future... like a year or two out. THAT would actually be interesting.
I agree with another post on here, it's all negative from the tech press and not very informative....it's actually pathetic 😡
will sell as many as they can produce!
I would prefer reviews on the apps on VP than the negativity.
We remember the iPhone initially only had Apple Apps.
The iPad was going to be a niche product.
The Apple Watch wouldn't appeal.
Let's have some serious reviews of the hardware, the experience and the current apps and new ones as they arrive.
Serious answer: This is information of value to the public. We have a lot of different opinions here on staff when it comes to AVP, and we let the editors say the things they think are worth saying. Obviously we ensure what we write is factually correct, but as a rule we try not to edit perspective or voice. Saying "look how many they sold!" and then in the same breath saying "obviously everybody knows what they're getting" rings hollow to me. You think 180K developers bought the headset? Apple certainly doesn't agree, because that's not how they've selling it. So, the answer is yes. Absolutely. I suspect lots of people bought this thing on an questionable promise.
Our job is not to cover Apple only in a positive light. There's a lot of exciting stuff about the Vision Pro, and those articles exist on this website as well.
Context is important, and I will have to sit down and re-read the article to make sure we addressed it properly. I think the negative version of this article is "Look at all these top 100 apps visionOS won't support" kinda thing. Don't forget Apple told us VisionOS would be able to leverage the iPadOS ecosystem, and yet you have core applications like YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify disallowing that. Not all that is on Apple, and they don't have a Carmack. So I think quoting the number of working apps is more generous than it may appear at first blush.
We hear the feedback, but I think we may have to agree to disagree on this one.
It's something we keep an eye on. It was much easier in the 90s, and early aughts when Apple was a rebel-yell, and it's a lot harder today when they've effectively "won." I think part of what makes AVP exciting is that it has some of that old spirit, but because they're such a behemoth the expectations are much higher than before, and the audience is different too.
Again, context. I would suggest you re-read the replies I put above. Have y'all even actually seen the list of software? Everybody understands that 90% of the stuff on the App store is shovelware, and 99.8% of the list is as well. You're free to look over it yourself. As I said before, even saying 150 (which is now 201 according to the list) is generous. We will report the news as it is relevant and it comes in. This isn't an editorial or opinion piece.
We have run multiple pieces of varying enthusiasm and from different editorial perspectives. We featured Dan's positive editorial in our top featured slot all day yesterday, for example. Mike has a piece now, which is less enthusiastic, but looks towards a brighter future for the device. These are the opinions of the writers. You're welcome to agree or disagree, but none of them are are even approaching incompetent just because you disagree with something that is reported.
That said, I understand some of you feel context was lacking in this and we'll discuss it internally.
Keep dreaming