Challenges for Apple Vision Pro: Key applications missing and lack of developer enthusiasm

IT House reported on January 21 that according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset Vision Pro is facing severe challenges: it lacks support for some key applications and developer enthusiasm is far lower than expected. The device's success will largely depend on third-party apps and services, but there are currently many doubts about this.

IT House has noticed that well-known streaming media giants such as Netflix, YouTube and Spotify have made it clear that they will not launch software for VisionOS, nor will they allow it to be used. iPad The application runs on Vision Pro. Major iOS and iPadOS developers such as Google and Meta seem to have no intention of immediately embracing the new platform.This is very different from the past. In the past, once the new Apple platform was launched, it would be enthusiastically pursued by many developers.there are a lot of new apps popping up quickly on the App Store, and the situation with Vision Pro could be completely different.

Analysts believe that the timing of Vision Pro’s release is sensitive;It coincides with a very delicate stage in the relationship between Apple and developers.. For years, software developers have been dissatisfied with the App Store's policies, especially Apple's recent new policy that allows developers to process payments outside of the app, but still needs to pay a commission of up to 27%, which has attracted a lot of criticism. Spotify even denounced this policy, saying, “Apple has proven that they will go to any lengths to protect the profits they extract from developers and consumers under the monopoly of the App Store.”

Although Apple claims that Vision Pro will have more than 1 million apps available when it is released, including software from companies such as Disney, TikTok, Amazon, and Paramount,But most of them are likely to be direct ports of the iPad version, rather than a brand new application designed specifically for visionOS. In fact, Apple itself has not done its best to support the new platform. Some of the company's important applications such as Podcasts, News, Calendar and Reminders are still presented in the form of iPad versions without redesign.

Gurman believes that developers’ indifferent attitude towards Vision Pro mainly stems from the following reasons:

Development costs are high and market returns are required. Some developers are taking a wait-and-see attitude, waiting for the market size of Vision Pro to become clear before deciding whether to invest in developing new applications.
Some developers, dissatisfied with Apple's App Store policies, high fees and censorship, believe the Vision Pro's success depends on cool new apps and therefore choose not to contribute to Apple's efforts to market their device.
The mixed reality environment poses new challenges to the adaptability of applications. Interaction methods that rely on eye tracking and gesture operations are not suitable for some games and applications. In addition, developers have limited access to eye tracking and motion sensing functions, further increasing the difficulty of adaptation.
Apple's previously launched TV, Watch and iMessage app stores have performed poorly and lacked vitality, causing some developers to question the prospects of Vision Pro.

Gurman said the Vision Pro is an expensive and relatively low-volume product, and that won't change in the short term. According to his understanding,Apple sold out its first batch of 80,000 headsets in the first hour after pre-sales began. Even based on the estimated 300,000 to 400,000 headsets shipped this year, this is not a huge user base for developers, especially considering the cut Apple takes from paid apps and services .

Some independent developers have a negative attitude towards Apple and even hope that Vision Pro will fail. Indie developer Aaron Vegh said on his blog that he doesn't know if Vision Pro will be successful, “but can I say it louder? If it fails, it will be awesome!”

Additionally, winning over gamers will be a big test for the platform. In this regard, Vision Pro's innovative interactive interface has become a disadvantage. It is not suitable for playing the most popular VR games (such as “Assassin's Creed” and “Asgard's Wrath 2”). These games are best suited to use specialized VR Play with a handle.

While Vision Pro supports PlayStation and Xbox controllers, many developers who have already developed games for VR headsets prefer dedicated VR controllers that can be positioned, while Apple is not receptive to the idea. However, there are also many Apple Arcade games coming to the platform, including NBA 2K24.

Developers who prefer touch-screen operations also complain that traditional touch-screen applications are difficult to port directly to Vision Pro's interactive mode, and the experience is weird and unpredictable.

The “ghost town” status of Apple's previous App Store also made developers suspicious. Although Apple Watch has achieved commercial success, its third-party software ecosystem is not prosperous, and well-known applications such as Twitter, Uber, Slack, and Facebook have abandoned the platform.

Despite the grim situation, there are still some bright spots to look forward to. Slack will return to the Apple platform and launch an app for Vision Pro. Microsoft's Office 365 and apps from companies like Zoom and Box will also join the lineup.

It is worth mentioning that Apple has made sufficient preparations to promote Vision Pro sales. The company's flagship store will set up a special try-on area, including curved benches and carpets, to simulate a living room environment and allow multiple customers to experience it at the same time. For users who choose in-store pickup, they can also re-do the face scan and light seal fit test on the spot.

All in all, Vision Pro's future is unclear. Although Apple is well prepared for this, there are still many uncertainties regarding key third-party applications and developers.In the end, can it be like iPhone It remains to be seen whether it will be as successful as the iPad.