Not many programmers have been interested in purchasing Apple’s expensive Vision Pro AR/VR headset.
On October 13, the Wall Street Journal reported that the number of apps being added to the Vision Pro app store has slowed significantly. There were hundreds of apps released for the $3,500 headgear in the first two months, but since then, the release of new apps has slowed to a trickle. For instance, just ten new apps were introduced in September.
The Journal also stated that around 1,770 apps were accessible in the Vision Pro app store, with only 34% of those apps being developed expressly for Vision Pro. The stats for this were sourced from analytics firm Appfigures. The vast majority are upgrades to preexisting Apple applications that include Vision Pro features.
The Journal added that compared to other Apple products, the growth of Vision Pro apps is significantly slower. The App Store had fifty thousand apps for the iPhone over a year after its debut and ten thousand apps for the Apple Watch in the first five months after its release.
The Vision Pro was more expensive and less popular than the iPhone and Apple Watch, the Journal did note.
Further complicating matters is the development of applications for AR/VR goggles. When making an app for Vision Pro, developers must abandon traditional 2D methods in favor of a more dynamic, interactive 3D setting. Timothy Bates, a lecturer at the University of Michigan-Flint College of Innovation & Technology, described it as “a new frontier” and said that carrying current programs wasn’t a plug-and-play operation.
When asked about the current state of spatial computing software, Bates told Tech News World that developers should reconsider user interfaces, user experiences, and software interaction in general. If done correctly, it presents fascinating possibilities, but it is nonetheless difficult.
According to Bates, attracting a large group of developers has been difficult for Apple. He said this is typical of newly released platforms, particularly sophisticated ones like the Vision Pro.
Developing for mixed reality necessitates rethinking standard app design, and developers are wary about investing substantially when there is a small initial user base, he added. Although there is a steeper learning curve, the technology is state-of-the-art.
Vena projected that Apple would begin supporting developers to ensure that applications with a compelling value proposition—and that truly showcase this stuff—make it to market.
According to Enderle, the success of a device in this class is typically contingent upon developers receiving funding. He claimed that Microsoft invested heavily in the Windows 95 and Xbox programs and that they were successful.
As Bates pointed out, despite its enormous potential, Vision Pro’s success depends on its environment. He emphasized that Apple should encourage developers to build innovative apps that fully display the device’s capabilities. “It’s important to remember that this is an innovative product, so there will be a learning curve associated with the product’s hardware and software support.”
“Apple’s Vision Pro is a daring move toward the future,” he continued, “but for it to be widely adopted, the company to be will have to support adopted, the company will have to support its developer community and release versions that are easier for more people to use.” its developer community and release versions that are easier for more people to use.”
Source : Tech News World