In anticipation of the 2024 launch of its forthcoming Vision Pro AR headset, Apple Inc. has unveiled a programme to distribute developer kits among select eligible applicants who are part of the Apple Developer Program.
As reported this week, successful account holders will be able to borrow these Vision Pro developer kits, subject to approval. To secure a kit, developers must fill out an application containing details about their team’s app development proficiencies and extant applications. They are also required to consent to Apple’s terms and conditions before they can be considered for the loan of a kit.
The terms outlined by Apple provide for the company to have access to the list of personnel authorized to work with the dev kit. The agreement also prohibits family, friends, roommates, and domestic employees from interacting or tampering with the Vision Pro. Public conversation about Vision Pro, either face-to-face or on social platforms, is also barred for developers involved in the programme.
Besides the actual hardware of the headset, those fortunate enough to be granted access to the developer kits will also be provided support in the process of setting up the Vision Pro. This includes onboarding, regular interaction with Apple professionals for guidance regarding UI design and development, and assistance in trouble-shooting any potential issues with their coding.
The tech giant confirmed that precedence will be ascribed to “applicants designing an app that leverages the features and capabilities of visionOS,” the operating system integral to Vision Pro. Irrespective of approval dates, all developers will be required to return the development kit upon request.
Apple also disclosed earlier this week that it plans to hold developer laboratories for the Vision Pro in several cities worldwide, including Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. Prospective attendees can sign up through Apple’s official website. An additional announcement made was the release of a compatibility checklist to verify the preparedness of apps for visionOS.
The Vision Pro, initially revealed during Apple’s annual WWDC conference last June, is likely to hit the stores within the next few months, with a retail price of $3,499. This product marks Apple’s first significant launch since the release of the Apple Watch in 2014 and represents an ambitious venture. The Vision Pro features a comprehensive amalgamation of sensors and cameras to facilitate “spatial computing” experiences, as termed by Apple.
VisionOS will initially include apps from numerous prominent developers such as Adobe (particularly, Lightroom), Microsoft (Teams and Office), Netflix and Cisco (WebEx), Zoom, and some others that operate natively on the Vision Pro. Key amongst these are Unity apps. Additionally, the device will feature medical software for anatomical inspections and an engineering app for concepts such as airflow over real-world items.
All these applications will be available on an entirely new app store, which is expected to launch in tandem with the Vision Pro headset. Furthermore, over 100 Apple Arcade titles will be operational on visionOS from “day one,” according to statements from the company.
