Apple has unveiled new software tools and technologies for its first spatial computer, the Apple Vision Pro.
The new headset, powered by visionOS, the world’s first spatial operating system, is set to revolutionize the way users interact with digital content in their physical space. The system allows for the most natural and intuitive inputs possible, using eyes, hands, and voice. We first saw Apple unveil Vision Pro at WWDC to its developers.
Starting today, Apple’s global community of developers will have the opportunity to create a new class of spatial computing apps. These apps will fully utilize the infinite canvas in Vision Pro, blending digital content with the physical world to enable extraordinary new experiences. The visionOS SDK will allow developers to harness the unique capabilities of Vision Pro and visionOS to design innovative app experiences across various categories, including productivity, design, gaming, and more.
Next month, Apple plans to open developer labs in several global locations, including Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. These labs will provide developers with hands-on experience to test their apps on Apple Vision Pro hardware and receive support from Apple engineers. Development teams can also apply for developer kits to expedite the building, iteration, and testing process on Apple Vision Pro.
“Apple Vision Pro redefines what’s possible on a computing platform. Developers can get started building visionOS apps using the powerful frameworks they already know, and take their development even further with new innovative tools and technologies like Reality Composer Pro, to design all-new experiences for their users,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.
“By taking advantage of the space around the user, spatial computing unlocks new opportunities for our developers, and enables them to imagine new ways to help their users connect, be productive, and enjoy new types of entertainment. We can’t wait to see what our developer community dreams up.”
The Vision Pro features an all-new App Store where users can discover a wide range of apps and content. Developers can build new experiences that leverage the groundbreaking features of Apple Vision Pro using foundational frameworks they are already familiar with from other Apple platforms. These include powerful technologies like Xcode, SwiftUI, RealityKit, ARKit, and TestFlight.
Developers can create new types of apps that span a spectrum of immersion, including windows, volumes, and spaces. To help developers optimize 3D content for their visionOS apps and games, an all-new tool available with Xcode, called Reality Composer Pro, lets them preview and prepare 3D models, animations, images, and sounds.
Starting next month, developers who have been building 3D apps and games with Unity’s robust authoring tools can port their Unity apps to Apple Vision Pro and take full advantage of its powerful capabilities. Developers who have previewed the visionOS SDK and APIs are excited for the potential of the platform and how it will enable them to create all-new app experiences for their users.
