Apple Releases New visionOS Beta Ahead of Sending Out Vision Pro Dev Kits

[MacRumors]

Apple today released a second beta of visionOS, the software that will run on the future Vision Pro headset. The first beta came out in June, so it has been available to developers to experiment with for a full month.

Because no developers have access to Vision Pro headsets at this time, testing on an actual Apple device is not possible. As of now, the SDK can be accessed through the latest Xcode beta in a virtual capacity.

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Apple plans to provide select developers with Vision Pro headsets for app development purposes in the coming weeks. Apple yesterday began accepting applications from developers who are hoping to get one of the development kits. Apple will give developers Vision Pro "loaner" headsets that can be used to develop and test apps. The headsets will need to be returned to Apple at some point, and Apple is asking developers to keep the headsets locked up when not in use.

App development must be done in a private, secure workspace accessible only by the developers who are approved to work with the Vision Pro, rules that will perhaps keep additional headset details from leaking. Registered developers can apply for a test kit on Apple's website.

Apple plans to evaluate each application and priority will be given to applicants developing apps that take advantage of visionOS features and capabilities. Vision Pro is expected to launch sometime in early 2024, so developers have six to nine months to work on apps.

Article Link: Apple Releases New visionOS Beta Ahead of Sending Out Vision Pro Dev Kits

 

[triton100]

The vision Pro reminds me of those portable hair dryers from the 70s that woman used to use 😂

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

I expect these dev kits to appear on eBay soon..

 

[hans1972]

The vision Pro reminds me of those portable hair dryers from the 70s that woman used to use 😂

My grandmother used one of those

 

[Surf Monkey]

My grandmother used one of those

Mine too. She had several. Said they didn’t work great but still used them.

 

[mdnyc]

I can't help but being distracted by the art hung directly above the television in the background. That is a terrible design decision and whomever chose that as the default should truly study what makes a space look harmonious. NOTE: it's not that.

 

[tongxinshe]

For $3500 a unit, I would expect them to sell a lot less of the end-user units than the developer kits. The developers are willing to spend thousands because they HOPE to earn back more afterwards, but for the end users, only the 0.001% of the lunatics would spend fortune like this on ANY electronics that expire every year.

 

[jimbobb24]

For $3500 a unit, I would expect them to sell a lot less of the end-user units than the developer kits. The developers are willing to spend thousands because they HOPE to earn back more afterwards, but for the end users, only the 0.001% of the lunatics would spend fortune like this on ANY electronics that expire every year.

How do electronics expire every year? New models come out? The average car is near 50K in the US and new models come out every year. I dont follow at all.

My guess is the first vision pro will have apple support for about 5-6 years. Is it worth 5-6 years? No idea. Because no one has one yet.

 

[orbital~debris]

Exciting times!

Not long from now, MacRumors will be all:

"visionOS updates are usually minor in scale, focusing on internal bug fixes and improvements rather than notable outward-facing changes. There is no word as of yet what's included in the visionOS update, and no features were found during the beta testing process."

 

[epox999]

Feel like Apple showed this way too soon, this isn't in the cultural zeitgeist right now, no mentions of the product on social media really, hype seems to have basically disappeared

 

[tongxinshe]

How do electronics expire every year? New models come out? The average car is near 50K in the US and new models come out every year. I dont follow at all.

My guess is the first vision pro will have apple support for about 5-6 years. Is it worth 5-6 years? No idea. Because no one has one yet.

The basic function of cars don’t change year over year, the “fancy” “selling points” of the new cars are TOTALLY ignorable. However, for electronics, new models make the ones from last year worth at most half of its original value, actually, most of the time less then 1/3.

 

[257Loner]

Every time I see the Apple Vision Pro, I think I'm looking at NASA technology. That is one sophisticated piece of equipment!

 

[kkee]

but for the end users, only the 0.001% of the lunatics would spend fortune like this on ANY electronics that expire every year.

I don't think Vision Pro will get renew every year, at least not until people use it everywhere. But related to that statement, surprisingly there are a large number of people who replaces their car every year and car costs a lot more.

 

[tweaknmod]

The basic function of cars don’t change year over year, the “fancy” “selling points” of the new cars are TOTALLY ignorable. However, for electronics, new models make the ones from last year worth at most half of its original value, actually, most of the time less then 1/3.

It’s subjective, of course, but the majority of each year’s advancements in consumer electronics (e.g. phones, tablets, and laptops) are not so big as to make the previous model 1/3 of the value.

There are a few exceptions in the past forty years, of course, but I’m going to have to strongly disagree with the “mostly” part of your comment, at least.

The perspective you’re outlining is at the heart of a lot of issues and problems with modern consumerism — and I hope they die soon.

 

[kkee]

Feel like Apple showed this way too soon, this isn't in the cultural zeitgeist right now, no mentions of the product on social media really, hype seems to have basically disappeared

They need to announce it early to give time for us devs to populate the Vision App Store with amazing must have apps.

As for the hype...

 

[ThailandToo]

I don't think Vision Pro will get renew every year, at least not until people use it everywhere. But related to that statement, surprisingly there are a large number of people who replaces their car every year and car costs a lot more.

I think it will be on a regular schedule to reduce size, power consumption, and ultimately price. I plan to develop for this, and I think within ten years it will become as popular as iPhone has today. Not iPad numbers but iPhone sales numbers. As they get this down to where it can be worn everywhere and the battery life doesn’t suck, people will have access to their Mac, iPad and iPhone like use with just a pair of glasses. Sure it’s clunky at first. Certain ideas aren’t ironed out and the battery is not ideal.

For all those with hatred towards it, open your minds to not what it is but rather what it could be. It takes a leap of faith to get there but unless some of us are willing to try and develop for it, we will not experience the greatness that happens when technology advances. Add in AI Siri, ultimate sound stage, and incredible vision technology that will also happen these will become the most hotly desired thing wanted by everyone. And the price will come down.

 

[newyorksole]

Feel like Apple showed this way too soon, this isn't in the cultural zeitgeist right now, no mentions of the product on social media really, hype seems to have basically disappeared

I was thinking the EXACT same thing lol.

I mean I know it’s a while away and the dev kits aren’t out yet, but man…

the hype is not there. even on rumor sites I don’t see many articles about it.

I think it’ll definitely pick up steam as time goes on (as usual), but right now… it’s not really a thought.

 

[scrapesleon]

they should give some main developers a prototype

 

[SoldOnApple]

Feel like Apple showed this way too soon, this isn't in the cultural zeitgeist right now, no mentions of the product on social media really, hype seems to have basically disappeared

I dunno. Right now compared to current VR/MR headsets the Vision Pro looks next gen. But if Apple waited until next year to unveil it, then someone else might have unveiled something closer to it which would beat Apple to the punch. Already there are mixed reality headsets that are aiming for something like Vision Pro will be. After all the time and money apple invested in it it would be a shame if someone else stole the headlines while Vision Pro was still a "secret".

 

[kkee]

I dunno. Right now compared to current VR/MR headsets the Vision Pro looks next gen. But if Apple waited until next year to unveil it, then someone else might have unveiled something closer to it which would beat Apple to the punch. Already there are mixed reality headsets that are aiming for something like Vision Pro will be. After all the time and money apple invested in it it would be a shame if someone else stole the headlines while Vision Pro was still a "secret".

It won't be happening for several reasons (at least for the next few years):
1. Apple protects their intellectual properties
2. Apple is years ahead in their development, that even competitors start to copy them now it would take them years to catch up.
3. Apple has access first to the rare materials (Micro OLED for example) in a large quantity
4. Apple has started developers stage (which will take time) to develop their apps for VisionOS first.
5. Apple keep its design secret in tight leash (including a signed agreement to keep their prototype locked)

 

[Surf Monkey]

The basic function of cars don’t change year over year, the “fancy” “selling points” of the new cars are TOTALLY ignorable. However, for electronics, new models make the ones from last year worth at most half of its original value, actually, most of the time less then 1/3.

This hasn’t been true for a very long time now. New iPhones are virtually identical to the ones they replace. Most of the selling points for them are “TOTALLY ignorable.” The days of revolutionary phones every year or two are long gone.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I don't think Vision Pro will get renew every year, at least not until people use it everywhere. But related to that statement, surprisingly there are a large number of people who replaces their car every year and car costs a lot more.

As I understand it the majority of the US fleet of civilian cars turns over roughly every three years. That seems insane to me. A new car every three years? Wow.

 

[Surf Monkey]

It won't be happening for several reasons (at least for the next few years):
1. Apple protects their intellectual properties
2. Apple is years ahead in their development, that even competitors start to copy them now it would take them years to catch up.
3. Apple has access first to the rare materials (Micro OLED for example) in a large quantity
4. Apple has started developers stage (which will take time) to develop their apps for VisionOS first.
5. Apple keep its design secret in tight leash (including a signed agreement to keep their prototype locked)

Virtually every one of those bullet points applies to all of Apple’s competition too. Apple’s main competitive advantage is the company’s massive valuation and enormous cash holdings.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I think it will be on a regular schedule to reduce size, power consumption, and ultimately price. I plan to develop for this, and I think within ten years it will become as popular as iPhone has today. Not iPad numbers but iPhone sales numbers. As they get this down to where it can be worn everywhere and the battery life doesn’t suck, people will have access to their Mac, iPad and iPhone like use with just a pair of glasses. Sure it’s clunky at first. Certain ideas aren’t ironed out and the battery is not ideal.

For all those with hatred towards it, open your minds to not what it is but rather what it could be. It takes a leap of faith to get there but unless some of us are willing to try and develop for it, we will not experience the greatness that happens when technology advances. Add in AI Siri, ultimate sound stage, and incredible vision technology that will also happen these will become the most hotly desired thing wanted by everyone. And the price will come down.

There is no way in hell this ever moves iPhone numbers. It’s goggles. Come on now. And please don’t come back with “they’ll be as small as standard glasses in a few years” because that simply isn’t true.

 

[ThailandToo]

There is no way in hell this ever moves iPhone numbers. It’s goggles. Come on now. And please don’t come back with “they’ll be as small as standard glasses in a few years” because that simply isn’t true.

In ten years, I believe it will all be down even if it’s just sending it wirelessly to the glasses. They will be like larger horned rim glasses with a larger earpiece section due to sound. Using like 6G tech with zero latency and 16K Nano microLED displays that are also see through. It will be far more advanced than it is now even if I am exaggerating in my hopes.

I don’t think we will need a Mac or iPad or iPhone. I think it will all work via a pair of glasses.