By In a recent announcement, YouTube spokesperson Jessica Gibby confirmed that a dedicated YouTube app for the Apple Vision Pro is officially on the company’s roadmap. This revelation comes as a surprise to many, especially after initial reports suggested no such plans were in place.
The decision to develop a YouTube app for the Vision Pro is believed to have been influenced by the overwhelming demand from users, particularly those utilizing the Juno platform. While no specific release timeline was provided, Gibby assured users that YouTube is currently prioritizing an enhanced viewing experience on Safari.
Apple’s foray into spatial computing with the Vision Pro has garnered mixed reactions, especially concerning its support for immersive content. Presently, Vision Pro users can access YouTube content through Safari or third-party applications like “Juno” by developer Christian Selig. However, these methods fall short in providing full support for YouTube’s extensive library of 360-degree and 3D videos, citing limitations in delivering a high-quality spatial experience and potential motion discomfort issues.
Despite these challenges, Apple has expressed its commitment to improving support for WebXR content, potentially enabling the viewing of VR videos through Safari in the future. It’s important to note that while WebXR is a promising standard, it currently doesn’t leverage the full capabilities of the Vision Pro and visionOS. Apple is actively involved in contributing to the development of WebXR standards to enhance spatial computing experiences on the web.
With the Vision Pro gaining traction in the market, developers are expected to be motivated to create VR content for the headset. As content consumption plays a crucial role in the success of VR headsets, it’s likely that major developers will soon launch their apps on the Vision Pro App Store, capitalizing on the growing user base.
