Apple Vision Pro debuts with a modest app selection: Just over 150 apps, for now

Apple has kicked off preorders for its first mixed reality headset, the Vision Pro, which comes with an ambitious price tag of $3,500. Yet, in the initial weekend, the tech giant might have secured up to 180,000 orders. However, some purchasers might find themselves a tad disappointed, discovering a limited array of apps specifically tailored for the headset.

TechCrunch reports that App Store data from market intelligence firm Appfigures reveals a lukewarm response from app developers. Currently, the AR/VR device's App Store boasts just over 150 apps explicitly updated for the Vision Pro, a mere fraction of the extensive App Store catalog, which hosts 1.8 million apps. However, you should keep in mind this is not the number of apps available but rather the native apps.

While the Vision Pro theoretically supports iOS and iPad apps unless developers opt out, the modest number of apps suggests a restrained rush to embrace the new platform.

Possible factors include a scarcity of Vision Pro headsets for testing, coupled with the awareness that the market opportunity may be limited, given the hefty starting price of $3,499. Additionally, developers might grapple with adapting their touchscreen-optimized apps to a distinct computing environment.

Major players like YouTube, Netflix, and Spotify, along with Meta (producer of its own VR headset), have opted not to develop native apps specifically for the Vision Pro. This move aligns with Apple's increasing competition in their respective markets with its video and music streaming services.

For those diving into the Vision Pro experience, the current app landscape is somewhat thin on "spatial games," too, with only 9 available at launch. However, after developers assess the viability of investing resources in crafting games tailored for this particular VR headset, potentially a more diverse selection might come in the months ahead.