Apple’s Vision Pro did not meet the company’s expectations, according to a recent deep-dive by AIM. The hardware issues were not the only reason for its lack of success, as the limited app selection and high price tag of $3,500 also played a significant role. A quick check on the number of active apps for VisionOS on Appfigures revealed a shockingly low figure of 1,782 apps. While every iOS app is compatible with VisionOS, many developers have intentionally opted out of this program, including major apps like Instagram, Spotify, YouTube, and WhatsApp. This could be due to various reasons, such as the desire to develop a native app for VisionOS, similar to what TikTok did. The blame for Vision Pro’s failure cannot be solely placed on either the platform or the developer community. The device offers a polished XR experience, but its high price makes it unaffordable for most consumers. Additionally, developers may be hesitant to create native apps for a platform with a small user base. Furthermore, the limited APIs and Apple’s own development tool, Reality Composer Pro, have been major obstacles for developers. The only other alternative, Unity, is behind a $2000 paywall and has a reputation for buggy releases and bad business practices. The Vision Pro’s hand and eye tracking inputs, while innovative, present challenges for developers and limit the porting of existing VR experiences. Apple’s mandate for apps to be fully functional with these inputs further complicates matters. As a result, many developers have had to scrap their ideas due to these limitations.
