Vision Pro Apps Lag at Launch
Apple’s Vision Pro has sold an estimated 180,000 pre-orders, but Techcrunch reported that developers have built only 150 native apps. This comes after news that major companies like Netflix, YouTube, and Spotify are not making apps available, pushing users to their websites. Across online developer forums, discontent is growing over Apple’s tighter control. Some claim the lower turnout of developer boycotts is underway.
At first, I assumed prior hardware launches like the Apple Watch and Apple TV probably had similarly low initial app numbers. But in fact, the Apple Watch debuted with 3,000 apps, and Apple TV had 500 at launch – far more than the Vision Pro.
That said, I’m still not convinced developers are outright boycotting the device. Many I’ve talked to assume initial Vision Pro sales volume likely only reaches the mid hundred thousands instead of the multi-millions Apple typically sees. That makes the return-on-investment for developing apps less straightforward. Developers also want to try the augmented reality headset firsthand before deciding whether specialized apps suit the user experience.
In the end, only time will tell if developers get behind the promising but untested Vision Pro platform. Apple getting devices out to early adopters could demonstrate possibilities and inspire developers to be creative. As an eager soon-to-be owner ready to explore this technological future, the potential can’t fully be judged until these revolutionary glasses are unleashed.
