r/apple • u/Century24 • Jan 18 '24

YouTube and Spotify Won’t Launch Apple Vision Pro Apps, Joining Netflix Apple Vision

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-18/youtube-and-spotify-join-netflix-in-not-launching-apple-vision-pro-apps?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy
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117

u/Existing365Chocolate Jan 18 '24

The iPad will have sold tons more than Apple Vision Pros will sell in the same timeframe though

52

u/leftbitchburner Jan 18 '24 edited Jan 19 '24

I wonder if all these predictions that are made will look as silly as the ones made about the iPad many years ago.

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u/Existing365Chocolate Jan 18 '24

Except the iPads weren’t 3.5k and had actual functionality associated with them despite the jokes

Even Apple’s marketing isn’t showing any kind of actual functionality. It’s people taking video, watching movies, and awkwardly filling out an excel document with their virtual keyboard

50

u/CeolSilver Jan 18 '24

There were a lot of people who dismissed any functionality of the iPad at launch, just seeing it as a “large iPhone”

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u/Creationship Jan 19 '24

Yeah I remember the iPad being a "big iPod touch that can't make calls" in the public perception.

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u/Easternshoremouth Jan 19 '24

I worked at Apple when the iPad launched. On my first trip after getting mine, I was waiting at the airport for one of my colleagues arrival. As a gag, I wrote his last name in large font in Pages and held up the iPad as if I were signalling that I was his hired driver. As people shuffled through the arrival gate to baggage claim, a couple of business men walked past me and one of them elbowed the other and said, "Hey, someone finally found a use for that thing." 😜

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u/axck Jan 19 '24 edited Feb 03 '24

pathetic steer water dull edge pie screw sheet rich oatmeal

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/Easternshoremouth Jan 19 '24

What can I say? I’m a visionary!

1

u/ProfessorPetrus Jan 19 '24

Ah corporate was big on blackberry will be the staple forever thinking then. Fools.

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u/MobiusOne_ISAF Jan 19 '24

Because they were. I don't know if you remember, but the initial iPad was mostly running iPhone apps, and it did look kind of ridiculous as a result even though the fundamental idea was solid. It took a few months and years until proper iPad apps showed up.

This kind of is the same situation, except VR/AR still has the same fundamental limitation of you have to wear goggles on your face to actually use the damn thing. The core ideas behind Vision Pro aren't drastically different from most other VR/AR headsets in the past decade, at least in my eyes. That does worry me a bit about the whole venture, but we'll see where it goes.

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u/ShinyGrezz Jan 19 '24

The core ideas behind Vision Pro aren't drastically different from most other VR/AR headsets in the past decade

-No controllers -Eye tracking -XR-focused -Externalised battery -Not aimed at gamers

This is about as different VR can get while still having a person put a set of goggles on.

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u/Kimantha_Allerdings Jan 19 '24

Perhaps worth pointing out that they're bringing out an Apple pencil for the Vision Pro, and that that's basically a controller.

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u/ShinyGrezz Jan 19 '24

That’s a very liberal definition of the word “controller.” It’ll be different, anyway.

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u/MobiusOne_ISAF Jan 19 '24

All of those have been implemented in various headsets, so no, not really.

Maybe not all in the same headset at the same time, but it's still not fundamentally different from what the Meta Quest Pro or HTC Vive can do. The goggles themselves are the problem, not what they can do.

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u/zeek215 Jan 19 '24

Whole heartedly disagree. Other headsets have incorporated eye tracking in some way, but none made it the default OS-Wide method of UI control. It’s like saying an iPad Pro and a no name Android tablet are the same because both have physical displays. People choose to buy products because of the differences. VR headsets have pigeonholed themselves as niche gaming accessories, but Apple is pushing the VP as a general computer in AR space. To say it’s not fundamentally different is to ignore the differences both in hardware and software.

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u/MobiusOne_ISAF Jan 19 '24

You're kind off missing the point I'm making. It's not about what the headset can do, it's about having to wear the headset to use the product. It's always been the annoying sticking point of VR/AR that doesn't have a clear solution yet.

It doesn't really matter how good it is, because you still have to contend with wearing weighted ski goggles on your face for several hours to use it. It makes it such that whatever experience in the headset needs to be so good, or so unique, that it justifies the inconvenience of the headset.

If anything, the Big Screen Beyond is really the only headset that's truly pushing the sector forward. Namely because it's the only headset really trying to solve the most critical issue with consumer VR/AR, which is making wearing goggles less annoying.

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u/The_Woman_of_Gont Jan 19 '24

This is about as different VR can get while still having a person put a set of goggles on.

Which is the entire damn problem. People just do not want to put goggles on to watch a movie they can't share with their family, or for hours at a time while working. Not unless they have to and it's part of a specialized job or something.

It's why VR has floundered outside gaming over the last decade or so, and it's something Apple hasn't (and indeed, really can't) address.

1

u/Hell_Weird_Shit_Too Jan 19 '24

VR Headsets have only been for gaming this far though. Of course it hasnt succeeded outside of gaming.

-1

u/borg_6s Jan 19 '24

You know, I think Apple's policy of making devices thinner will actually help make AR more practical.

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u/singingthesongof Jan 19 '24

Well, they did make this headset heavier than it needed to be for no other reason than to feel more high end and that’s sort of the complete opposite of the design philosophy you should have with these headsets.

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u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

They intentionally made it heavier than necessary? Source?

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u/singingthesongof Jan 19 '24 edited Jan 19 '24

It got a metal frame which is heavier than a plastic frame, and it got a glass screen in front which is heavier than plastic screen.

 Weight is king with these headsets and Apple went with a premium feel instead.

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u/gullydowny Jan 19 '24

It's still just a big ipod but before long it was $250 open boxed and everybody talked their mom into buying one.

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u/musicmast Jan 19 '24

Can confirm. I asked my mom to buy me one

4

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Isn't that what the ipad is tho? Something to give to your kid because you don't want to parent no more.

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u/Soggy_Boss_6136 Jan 19 '24

"parent no more"

advice: Apple has better grammar

2

u/erishun Jan 19 '24

I can’t believe people forgot this. I remember when the MSI wind “netbook” was the rage and people were SHOCKED when the iPad wasn’t a 9.9” laptop.

All the memes of Steve Jobs holding up 4 iPhones taped together and saying this was the dumbest idea of all time. Then it was a hit and all those same people were like “ACKSHULY, the tablet existed long before the iPad, iPad is just a copy of the touchscreen windows computers”

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u/sakata32 Jan 19 '24

I still treat them like a big ipod touch. The thing is at a good price a big ipod touch is not a bad thing.

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u/singingthesongof Jan 19 '24

Difference being that it isn’t comfortable to wear a headset like this for long periods of times, so it doesn’t really matter how much Apple wishes people will want to wear this all day - they won’t.

We are getting closer to headset being comfortable to wear all day (e.g. Big Screen Beyond) but we aren’t there yet.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

I still think that, especially if you own a laptop

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u/axck Jan 19 '24 edited Feb 03 '24

ancient existence distinct bow aromatic reach square sort full zealous

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

For sure. Tattoo artists seem to like them, for instance. Business setting is a great point too. iPads or similar devices as payment terminals are great

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u/The_Woman_of_Gont Jan 19 '24 edited Jan 19 '24

For educational, artistic, and business purposes though the iPad opened up a lot of opportunities over time. Think about how often you see them in businesses these days. Probably more than you see them in casual use

I think this is actually a major problem with VR. Soooo much of those uses are down to how easily portable and shareable the iPad is. Just mount it on a swivel, add an app/accessory for cards, and bam you've got a POS system. Have something you want to share with clients, maybe some forms they need to fill out or a design or a treatment plan? Easy! Need cheap and portable devices on hand that kids can use as books, or run educational programs on? Yup, that's an iPad.

iPads are just giant iPhones, but that's a feature not a bug and makes them deeply flexible, and deeply social, devices. VR...not so much. It's a very 'selfish' and asocial product. You can't share anything you see on it, and you can't even just hand someone a headset and tell them to take a look at this, because they might have different vision correction needs than you or the headset itself might not quite fit them.

Even just being used as extra or giant screens, it will present problems unless you're WFH and literally live with no one you would ever want to watch something with.

The only solution to even some of these issues is to buy more of them so everyone has something, but let's be real....even at a third of the current price, that's a tall order.

1

u/mechanicallyblonde Jan 19 '24

I do think the iPad is amazing for school especially in math/science classes. Having a searchable pdf text book split screen w/notes while recording lecture. It was a game changer.

1

u/Unitedfateful Jan 19 '24

True but the use case was there and it wasn’t crazy expensive to basically watch movies which is all I can see anyone doing right now with it

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u/EfficientAccident418 Jan 19 '24

I could be wrong but I think the Vision Pro is DOA. There isn’t a compelling use-case for it, and unlike the Apple Watch, which had a similar problem at launch, there isn’t an easy default like fitness for Apple to pivot to. If there is a second generation it’s going to be stripped down and be games and entertainment focused.

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u/Shapes_in_Clouds Jan 19 '24

Yeah I'm excited about the potential of Vision Pro, but even the subpar iPad gen 1 was a way more viable product. It got criticized in some circles, but to anyone paying attention the appeal of a large format touch screen was obvious. It already changed the world on smart phones. It also started at only $500, which made it an incredible value even at the time. I bought a cellular model and it was easy to justify giving it a try at that price. Even people at the time were shocked at how low the starting price was when it got announced.

In many ways the Vision Pro is the complete opposite of the iPad, even if I see its long term potential.

2

u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

It’s been interesting. I’ve also seen write ups saying it’s difficult to convey the experience. And for whatever reason, Apple seems to be steering hard away from conceptualizing as AR/VR/XR in favor of the whole “spatial computing” concept they’re pushing.

I assume they have a plan, but I’m also wondering “where are the Apple Arcade VR games?” If it can pair to a Bluetooth keyboard, it can pair to a Bluetooth controller. They’re not just ignoring a whole marketing angle; they’re actively avoiding it.

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u/zeek215 Jan 19 '24

They have literally shown someone playing Apple Arcade games with a controller in the initial video.

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u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

Well damn. I missed that somehow. Thanks for pointing it out. Was it VR or just a floating screen. Never mind. I’ll go rewatch some stuff.

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u/zeek215 Jan 19 '24

It was the NBA 2K game on Apple Arcade, so it’s just a floating screen.

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u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

Oh. No I saw that. Not quite what I’m looking for. I’m half seriously waiting to see if Microsoft/Bethesda tries to put Skyrim VR on it. Lol. Prior to their acquisition of Bethesda, I would’ve said it was only a matter of time.

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u/mrgrafix Jan 19 '24

That’s not coming this round until much later.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

[deleted]

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u/shrlytmpl Jan 20 '24

You sound like the skeptics of the first computers, or when the internet started to become mainstream. Just because you can't envision a use doesn't mean there won't be any.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

[deleted]

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u/vc6vWHzrHvb2PY2LyP6b Jan 19 '24

It really is a big iPhone, but that's why I like it.

I got the Mini for $399- it's perfect for laying in bed and watching YouTube. It's an excellent e-reader and great for comics. It integrates well enough with my phone that I can do the same tasks.

When traveling, it's the perfect size to fit on the plane and watch movies or whatever.

When I'm feeling lazy, I'll sit in bed and pretend to work, then I can join Zoom calls and reply to Slack with it.

It's really about the form factor, and sometimes you just want a bigger iPhone.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

I had the original iPad mini and I loved it. I have a iPad Pro 4th gen now and I wish I could trade it back for a mini.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

[deleted]

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u/shamusfinnegan Jan 19 '24

Vision Pro makes it hands free

1

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Well, NOT entirely hands-free. 😏

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u/pmjm Jan 19 '24

Too big for my leprechaun fetish.

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u/kraken_enrager Jan 19 '24

iPads are super useful for execs who don’t really do much of bottom level work. It’s the ideal medium to read and annotate reports, PDFs, check emails and for videoconferencing etc.

I had my dad buy an iPad cuz he basically uses just his phone and hasn’t essentially used anything but his phone for his work since the blackberry days. It has a very small learning curve coming from an iPhone and can be a 90% replacement for it too. And the Apple Pencil is a delight on top of it.

That’s a pretty huge market, despite the consulting MD memes and stuff they are about the exact people it’s meant for.

0

u/borg_6s Jan 19 '24

I should probably get my dad an iPad too, now that I think about it.

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u/cjorgensen Jan 19 '24

I use my iPad for work. Email, Teams, Slack. I also play games on it, text with friends, watch shows and movies, Reddit and surf the web. I bought the Magic Keyboard but never use it. Same with the Pencil (just not an artist, but artists love the iPad).

I have an M1 Air that I use to RDP into work PCs when I am WFH.

I’m probably on my iPad 8 or more hours a day with half those being work hours

As for the Vision Pro… I think consuming media on it would be awesome. A decade ago people were paying tons for a flat screen TV. This thing simulates a hundred foot TV screen. I can’t wait for version 2.0.

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u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

I just love how overconfident Redditors are

2

u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

It’s amazing how many people assume “it wouldn’t work for my job/workflow” means it’s necessarily useless or suboptimal for all jobs and workflows.

0

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

Yup, if these people ran companies they’d last 30 days before crashing. Absolutely 0 imagination or awareness of our market. 

6

u/Juice805 Jan 19 '24

If we are going off just anecdotes then so much of this is wrong.

iPads are far from useless, most of my gaming buddies have headsets, and there are many, many use cases for a good AR/VR headset.

2

u/thebigFATbitch Jan 19 '24

I use my iPad for work every single day.

It’s nice to take something with me on set and have the Apple Pencil readily available for the thousands of signatures I need from Executives throughout the day. They absolutely LOVE not having to open their emails and click on links to sign things. They love being able to see the calendar on my 12.9” screen and not on their phones all the time.

There are so many things I can do on the iPad that I cannot do on my laptop - and it is so portable and light.

I disagree entirely with your essay on why the iPad is useless, clearly.

1

u/NewAltWhoThis Jan 19 '24

Remember when you said “Except people like surfing the web and watching videos on their couches”?

That’s the Vision Pro sweet spot

1

u/Jedkea Jan 19 '24

iPad with an Apple Pencil is the ultimate digital notebook. I was blown away when I saw how accurate the pencil was, and craved one for months until I finally got it. I assumed it would be just like the phone styluses. I no longer have 20+ notebooks, a desk covered in graphite, or a calculator sitting on my desk. It sits right next to my keyboard at work, and I reach for it many times a day to hash things out. I can find that weird obscure diagram I drew 2 years ago that would be long lost if still on paper.

Tons of students use an iPad as their primary note taking device. Hand written notes have better retention and in many areas typed notes won’t cut it. You need to be able to freehand draw.

I think AR/VR will be huge among people working on a computer. Based on some of the previews, it’s very close already. I have 3 monitors right now, and it’s never enough. When I work outside the office I am limited to just my laptop. It would be awesome to have a large amount of monitors anywhere while only bringing a small device. All those monitors take up a lot of space and power, and I frequently consider adding smaller ones above and below them.

I am sure people in other fields see uses for them that I don’t too, just like you missed the big selling point of iPads.

1

u/Pucah420 Jan 19 '24

you totally forgot about people that, like me, take advantage of the pencil to study and thus i almost stopped using my laptop to do anything study related. laptop is useful when i need to use some circuit simulator software in my case

1

u/Shapes_in_Clouds Jan 19 '24

It's crazy how long it took Apple to develop a stylus for the iPad. The product didn't really come into its own until the Pencil and Pro released IMO. As far back as 2009 when the New Yorker was using art drawn on an iPhone in the Brushes app, it was clear that Apple had a blind spot before the iPad was even announced.

iPad Pro + Apple Pencil is basically my favorite computing device ever.

1

u/ThisIsNotTokyo Jan 19 '24

There’s a mini keyboard option and with google meet/facetime and tg, I can live a day with just my ipad

0

u/crumble-bee Jan 19 '24

Everything I’ve used an iPad for:

• ⁠3D modelling. Character creation for rigging in blender, environment creation, city design.

• ⁠drawing, illustration, animation - procreate, dreams, traditional frame by frame animation.

• ⁠music creation - I’m a percussionist and using an XLR dock, rigged up my drum to do live looping, and FX I can control from the iPad while playing. I’ve used this live on stage and in various YouTube videos. Also, a range of digital instruments and music creation apps that allow you to create strange soundscapes and record into DAWS, and as a midi controller for ableton.

• ⁠video editing of smaller projects.

• ⁠mood board creation for screenplays.

• ⁠a third display for my MacBook and as a tablet for using a pencil with blender

• ⁠note taking and idea generation

• ⁠media consumption, marking up screenplays for feedback and as a reference while writing, as well as all the usual “big phone stuff”

0

u/PooleyX Jan 19 '24

Nailed it.

1

u/[deleted] Jan 19 '24

I have a iPad Pro 4th gen. I use mine every evening to look at stuff that is an inconvenience to watch on my phone. I don't need a laptop or an actual computer so the iPad works great for me. It's nicer to do my grocery pickup, watch YouTube, play music to my speakers than using my phone for it. It definitely has it's space even if it isn't for everyone.

1

u/iwasbornin2021 Jan 19 '24

Yeah I can see the set shrinking until it’s the size of slightly bulky glasses which would make it more mobile/portable than a MacBook or iPad, or even iPhone.

1

u/Sylvurphlame Jan 19 '24

I can see where you’re coming from on the “is an iPad a computer replacement” angle, and I appreciate you mentioning the couch factor, because frankly casuals rule the mass market. But when you get to

And gaming is the only use case for VR that makes any sense.

I have to hard disagree. Another huge use case is training. There are a whole range of medical devices and techniques that can benefit from VR training. And that just one area/industry. We’re not there yet, but I think Apple is attempting a long game here, trying define a market, or an approach to a potential market.

But it remains to be seen if it will work out.

1

u/WingedGeek Jan 19 '24

They're irreplaceable in the cockpit, FWIW.

1

u/zeek215 Jan 19 '24

You call it a useless product, and yet between you and your wife you have 3 of them for some reason.

iPad is a more enjoyable media consumption device than the iPhone, that is the primary driver. The same thing applies to the Vision Pro.

0

u/stickcult Jan 19 '24

What? You think the Vision Pro is going to outsell the iPad?

1

u/PooleyX Jan 19 '24

I really don't think they will. Not until it becomes smaller and much cheaper. Then there's a chance.

1

u/IceBlue Jan 19 '24

They won’t. The lower barrier of entry and wider development support due to shared dev environment with iPhone made it an easy purchase from the beginning.

1

u/Accomplished_Soil426 Jan 19 '24

I wonder if all these predictions that are made will look as silly as the ones made about the iPad many years ago.

No. Apple will just look ahead of its time when AR/VR finally becomes portable/unintrusive enough for it to become more widespread.

I'm waiting for smart windshields in cars.