When the Apple Vision Pro was first announced, we were told it would be able to run at least a million apps right out of the box. However, it’s starting to look like this might not be the case. Now Apple may have effectively alienated and irritated app developers, making them less likely to produce custom apps for the headset. Instead, we expect ports of existing iPad apps to be hastily slapped onto the Vision Pro.
The Vision Pro has already been shunned by streaming giants like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify due to a lack of trust in the new platform, as well as Spotify’s public distaste for Apple’s “outrageous” 27% commission. According to the BBCthe music streaming service has leveled heavy accusations that Apple will “stop at nothing” to protect profits. With all this excitement building just ahead of the Vision Pro’s official launch, it’s easy to see why there may be a lack of confidence in the headset.
Other app developers likely share this hesitation. Many might agree with Spotify’s frustration with Apple’s restrictive App Store policies and fees, especially since the Vision Pro’s success hinges on whether there are apps that make it worth buying. Why spend $3,500 for a device that doesn’t have the app you want?
Developers wrath
To add to the concerns surrounding the Vision Pro, developers who didn’t receive a ‘developer kit’ from Apple now have to pay full price for the headset just to test their apps. Why not just drop a quick port of the iPad app you’ve already developed to the visionOS App Store and call it a day?
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman notes that Apple’s initial inventory for launch is approximately 80,000 units, which sold out within hours when pre-orders went live. If you are a developer who did not receive a developer kit, you will have to pay a very high entry fee for a not so large user base.
It may seem like 80,000 initial units is a lot, but if you start investing money and time into your app maybe 80,000 people reach it power download it, you better not bother with it. To put that number into perspective: analysts estimate that Apple has already sold 20 million iPhone 15 models since its launch in September 2023. Gurman also notes that Apple expects to sell only 300,000 to 400,000 Vision Pro units in all of 2024.
It’s such a shame that Apple seems to be treating developers and streaming services as an afterthought when it comes to the Apple Vision Pro. The run-up to the official launch day has been plagued by more and more unfortunate and frankly confusing news – and like Netflix, YouTube and Spotify, many are losing faith in the headset. It will be disappointing if Apple’s promised ‘million apps’ turn out to be mainly fast iPad ports.
The Vision Pro may have to stumble before it can walk, and should it live up to the hype and become a big seller, we might see developers turn around and commit to developing dedicated visionOS apps. But until sales figures crystallize, it appears early adopters may have to settle for less.