Apple has revealed more information about what watching movies and TV shows will be like on the Apple Vision Pro, including confirmation of which of the top streaming services will have full native support when it launches.
We already knew Disney Plus would be there – that was announced at the beginning – and of course Apple TV Plus was always going to have great support, but now we know Max and Prime Video will be available too.
Plus, you also have ESPN, NBA, MLB, PGA Tour, Discovery Plus, Paramount Plus, Peacock, Pluto TV, Tubi, Fubo, Crunchyroll, Red Bull TV, IMAX, and TikTok (which is obviously a little different than the others, but hey, it’s all video).
There are two big omissions from that list: Netflix and YouTube. We actually wouldn’t have worried about YouTube being missing from the list because it’s not like the other curated streaming services out there… but then Apple mentioned TikTok, and suddenly YouTube’s lack jumps to the fore as it’s is the world’s best portal for VR/immersive video.
In addition, Apple also confirmed for the first time that the headset will support Dolby Vision HDR for audio in addition to Dolby Atmos (via the built-in speakers, or via the AirPods Pro 2 version with USB-C). Dolby Vision will help micro-OLED screens really reach their full potential in movies (on most of the best OLED TVs), while Dolby Atmos is the most sensible way to make it sound like you’re sitting inside a TV . real cinema with speakers around you, thanks to the 3D soundscape technology.
A nice extra that Apple added to its virtual cinema room that you can watch is that you can choose whether you sit front, middle or back. People have strong opinions about this!
It’s not uncommon
It is no enormous surprise that Netflix is missing. The company has always had a checkered relationship with Apple; the two clearly have a deep bond, but Netflix has long had issues with Apple’s App Store revenue sharing arrangement, and the Netflix Apple TV app often doesn’t get new features until long after they’ve appeared in other versions of the app .
But as someone who really can’t wait to experience Vision Pro’s ‘Cinema Environments’ mode as a way to watch movies on the big screen at home, it will be a huge shame not to be able to do so with Master (a film made for IMAX but trapped in the confines of Netflix), Association of the Snow (and the beautiful, terrifying vistas) or the many classics that you can find among the best Netflix films.
Google and Apple also have a complicated relationship. The two make a lot of money off each other, but we’re in a very different place than the launch of the iPhone when there was a YouTube app as part of the default apps. It’s clear that Google doesn’t see Vision Pro as a priority, just like Netflix doesn’t – and maybe they’re right. After all, it’s not like the first batch of 150,000 Vision Pro headsets will depend on whether or not streaming services are sold out.
Whenever a more affordable non-professional ‘Apple Vision’ headset arrives, Apple will need the world’s two biggest video streamers on board. Until then, those lucky enough to get a Vision Pro can probably find plenty to watch across Apple’s full movie store and already confirmed streaming services.