Vision Pro – Apple’s Spatial Ambition is Missing… Companions?

At Karasound, we closely monitor every movement in the tech world – not only in professional audio but also in pioneering device ecosystems, where trends like AR/VR and Spatial Computing are gradually reshaping digital experiences. In this landscape, Apple Vision Pro is the name that has the entire industry watching. But the question remains: Is Apple’s ace card missing its companions?

Vision Pro Apps – Sparse and Slow-Paced

According to data from Appfigures published by Wall Street Journal, there are currently only about 1,770 applications on the Vision Pro App Store. Of these, only 34% are applications written specifically for this platform – the rest are mainly extensions from existing iOS apps.

Notably, last September saw only 10 new apps launched – a development pace that’s quite concerning compared to iPhone or Apple Watch in the past. While iPhone had up to 50,000 apps after just one year, Vision Pro is moving much slower.

Not Easy to “Get Apps on Vision Pro”

According to industry experts, developing applications for Vision Pro isn’t just about platform porting – it’s about changing design thinking. You’re no longer working in a 2D space, but in a vibrant 3D world that requires redefining UI/UX, workflow operations, and spatial interactions.

It’s a big – and expensive – challenge that makes it difficult for small developers to “dive in.”

The Old Problem: No Users – No Apps, No Apps – No Users

Experts like Rob Enderle and Mark Vena call this the familiar “chicken-and-egg problem”: Users wait for apps, while developers wait for users. Typically, to break this cycle, the company must proactively pay to create the first apps.

But what about Apple? “A bit tight-fisted” – according to many experts. They’re traditionally not strong in developer sponsorship programs like Microsoft did with Xbox or Windows 95.

Should (and Does) Apple Support the Developer Community?

The answer from many experts is: Absolutely should. And absolutely needs to.

• A Vision Pro Developer Support Fund could be a powerful catalyst.
• Strategic partnerships with top studios would create “flagship apps” – something iPhone had plenty of from day one.
• Expanding support standards like OpenXR, WebXR would help developers easily build once – run cross-platform.

Vision Pro: Future or Experiment?

As expert Jim Squires puts it, “Apple is playing a long game with Vision Pro.” But for the spatial computing dream to become reality, they need to act now, especially in nurturing the developer community.

Karasound’s Conclusion: Good Technology Isn’t Enough – You Need an Ecosystem

At Karasound, we believe that technological breakthroughs only truly have value when accompanied by a deep and expansive ecosystem. Vision Pro is a big step forward, but not a perfect one. When hardware is expensive, apps are few, and the community isn’t ready – even Apple must play by market rules.

If Apple truly wants to create the “iPhone of the digital spatial era,” they need to start investing in developers – starting today.