Apple releases visionOS SDK for creating Vision Pro apps and plans to open applications for Apple Vision Pro developer kits and developer labs in July 2023
9to5MacChance Miller
Context & Ripple Effects
This is the opening of Apple’s developer pipeline for Vision Pro: software tools are available first, while access to the device is mediated through kit applications and labs. The subsequent loaner-kit program with specialized support shows that Apple paired the tooling with controlled hardware access.
Developers can start building native Vision Pro software with visionOS tools, while teams needing device testing must pursue Apple’s developer-kit and lab channels.
Apple gains an early mechanism to seed the headset’s app ecosystem and to prioritize hands-on support before broader availability.
Second-order effects
Developer access becomes a gating factor for early native-app quality: teams without kits or lab time can prototype in software but face a harder path to validating real-device experiences.
The later default inclusion of compatible iPadOS and iOS apps reduces the risk of an initially sparse catalog, while raising the value of developers that create Vision Pro-specific experiences.
Third-order effects
If Apple continues to combine SDKs, controlled hardware access, and App Store distribution, spatial computing may develop as a tightly managed platform ecosystem rather than an open hardware category.
Apple’s later language rules suggest the company is also shaping how the market defines the category, potentially concentrating product expectations around its “spatial computing” framing.
The trend: This is one data point in platform owners building new hardware categories by sequencing developer tools, restricted device access, and distribution incentives to establish an application ecosystem.
It's amazing how much the appearance of a Vision Pro app changes depending on wheher it's built “Designed for iPad” against the iPadOS SDK or it is built as a proper Vision Pro app against the visionOS SDK. — I think “Designed for iPad” apps stand very little chance of becoming…
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't completely overwhelmed by how much effort I see before me to try and support visionOS properly across any one of my apps, nevermind all of them 😵💫
This is a special moment for me, so I'll share it with you too: this is the first launch of @broadcastsapp natively on visionOS. It's alive! 🧟 — Lots of work to do, but this is promising
How cool is this. #VisionPro has a guest mode where you can create a passcode that is valid for 5 minutes to allow someone to try out your Vision Pro without gaining access to your data. Great feature! [image]
Once you have the visionOS SDK installed you can really see how the idea of light and dark mode just doesn't make sense with Vision Pro - click the mountain icon in the bottom-right corner to try different environments, and also different times of day 🌄 [video]
🔨 Best Practices: - Embrace the unique features of Apple Vision Pro, like space, Spatial Audio, and immersion. - Consider varying levels of immersion to suit different moments within the app. - Use windows for UI-centric experiences. [image]
🌟 In visionOS, ‘ornaments’ are elegant UI elements that offer controls and info related to a window without cluttering the content. They float parallel to the window and move along with it [image]
🕹️ Depth matters: Vision Pro uses visual cues like shadows and occlusion for natural depth perception. Don't overuse it though - it should add value, especially in separating large elements. Avoid adding depth to text. [video]
🌌 In visionOS, design apps with immersive experiences in Apple Vision Pro. Offer Shared Space for multitasking & Full Space for focused content. [video]
🛋️ Prioritize comfort by displaying content within a user's field of view, supporting indirect gestures, avoiding overwhelming motion, and not encouraging excessive movements. (No fitness apps at launch?) [image]
Quick tweet summary thread of the changes Apple made to its Human Interface Guidelines for visionOS: Create immersive apps on Apple Vision Pro with limitless 3D space, fluid immersion levels, and Spatial Audio. Best Practices: [image]
Apple Vision Pro allows apps to go beyond the boundaries of a traditional display, helping users do the things they love in ways never before possible. I can't wait to see what incredible things developers will create that will amaze all of us. https://www.apple.com/...