YouTube and Spotify Apps Won't Be Available on Vision Pro

[MacRumors]

YouTube and Spotify do not plan to offer apps on the Vision Pro headset, according to a new report from Bloomberg. YouTube said that it is not developing a YouTube Vision Pro app, nor will it allow the YouTube iPad app to run on the device.

Spotify is also not working on an app, and it does not have plans to allow the Spotify iPad app to be available through the Vision Pro App Store. YouTube and Spotify will instead be accessible through Safari, similar to Netflix.

Netflix said earlier this week that Netflix subscribers can watch content through the Vision Pro web browser, and that no dedicated app would be developed.

Given Apple's contentious relationship with Spotify, it is not surprising that Spotify has no intention of creating an Apple Vision Pro app. Many companies may also be taking a wait-and-see approach with the Vision Pro, as the device is expensive and Apple is not expected to sell many units. Far fewer people will be using the Vision Pro compared to the iPhone or the iPad, so there could be some hesitation to invest resources in the headset.

At the same time, while iPad apps can run on Vision Pro with little to no effort, YouTube and Netflix customers might be disappointed with the lackluster experience compared to entertainment apps designed specifically for Vision Pro, such as Disney+, which could cause issues for the companies. There are fewer expectations with a web-based experience, so it is likely the safest bet for streaming services not yet ready to build out full Vision Pro experiences.

If the Vision Pro headset is a hit, and apps like Disney+ and Max get a lot of use, companies that are not yet inspired to release apps could debut them in the future.

The Vision Pro App Store launched earlier this week, and visionOS compatibility is listed on App Store pages, giving some insight into which apps will be available on the headset and which apps will not. MacStories did a survey of the App Store, and found that there are as of yet no signs of several popular apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Amazon, Google, and Gmail.

While iPad apps are available on Vision Pro by default, developers can opt out of having their apps appear on the device. It is not yet clear if the major apps listed above are opting out of the Vision Pro entirely, but they have turned off iPad app access and have not yet announced dedicated Vision Pro apps.

Pre-orders for the Vision Pro begin tomorrow morning at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with a launch set to follow on Friday, February 2.

Article Link: YouTube and Spotify Apps Won't Be Available on Vision Pro

 

[Kylo83]

It’s getting worse and worse, YouTube needs an app the quest 3 has a great app, this Vision Pro is looking like dead on arrival, people will buy it to play with but the returns will be huge

 

[Macalway]

Not a big deal. No one expects this to be anything but a niche item for gamers and professionals.

The way these articles are coming out you would think this is surprising.

Click bait more like it. Then again, I've read some pretty strange stuff in the media about expectations. I don't think Apple has tried to mislead the public with this either. Who cares.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

You may hate them but no YouTube or Netflix is a big blow for this product.

Watch YouTube in Safari recognize it as a mobile device and only allows 360p ha.

 

[echo44]

will you be able to watch youtube videos on safari?

 

[Spock]

I think that it has a lot to do with the price of the device, I don't think these companies are expecting Apple to sell many and if that is the case they don't want to invest into the eco-system. I don't think this device will be an iPod or iPad industry changing device.

 

[ItsASpider]

I don't get the anger over this, including over Netflix. This product isn't targeted at consumers, stop expecting consumer-targetting companies to built their apps for it. They aren't going to invest on a platform where there is no market.

 

[powerbook911]

will you be able to watch youtube videos on safari?

That's what I was wondering.

 

[momentlost]

If Apple releases cheaper models down the line and user adoption grows, I could see them developing VisionOS apps. They don't really lose anything by not developing for the launch model.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

That's what I was wondering.

Read the article

 

[FasterQuieter]

Not allowing the iPad apps to run just comes across as spiteful. I hope a third party developer can offer something to circumvent and maybe even improve on their own apps.

 

[McWetty]

Odd that YT won’t enable the iPad app on AVP. I’d think they would love the extra eyes on for ad revenue. Can YouTube be wrapped inside another app and made for AVP? I almost never go to the YT website because everything plays inside my RSS feeder app.

I get why Spotify won’t be on AVP. They hate Apple enough to screw their customers.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

will you be able to watch youtube videos on safari?

You couldn’t make it to the 3rd paragraph in the article huh

 

[powerbook911]

Read the article

I did. Netflix said their videos will be available in Safari. It didn't mention Youtube.

 

[Veinticinco]

Seems a bit petty of Pichai and Ek. Neither company has any love for Apple and you suspect would be quite happy see the AVP fail (not as desperately as Zuckerberg but still). Schadenfreude is sadly a natural human condition.

 

[johntw]

Personally, I am not concerned thanks to having Safari available. Long term, their availability would influence my continued subscriptions to Netflix and YouTube Premium. Although, I expect it won’t be too long for Netflix and Google to join.

What do we think is the reasoning of disabling their iPad apps from running?

• Did they at least test them and feel they weren’t “good enough”
• Are they over Apple being involved in markets they want to be in
• There are also rumors of some exclusivity agreements with Meta

 

[McWetty]

I don't get the anger over this, including over Netflix. This product isn't targeted at consumers, stop expecting consumer-targetting companies to built their apps for it. They aren't going to invest on a platform where there is no market.

There is no investment in the platform. It’s just enabling the iPad app. It’s petty. Not that it affects me much, I can’t use VR/AR headsets.

 

[FasterQuieter]

I don't get the anger over this, including over Netflix. This product isn't targeted at consumers, stop expecting consumer-targetting companies to built their apps for it. They aren't going to invest on a platform where there is no market.

This product is targeted at rich consumers. Companies usually like targeting rich consumers. You could have said the same thing about the iPhone, but YouTube was in there as early as possible.

 

[deadspider187]

I think that it has a lot to do with the price of the device, I don't think these companies are expecting Apple to sell many and if that is the case they don't want to invest into the eco-system. I don't think this device will be an iPod or iPad industry changing device.

I had heard they only had 80k units, so I don't expect many large software companies to spend any time developing anything specifically for it.

 

[powerbook911]

Personally, I am not concerned thanks to having Safari available. Long term, their availability would influence my continued subscriptions to Netflix and YouTube Premium. Although, I expect it won’t be too long for Netflix and Google to join.

What do we think is the reasoning of disabling their iPad apps from running?

• Did they at least test them and feel they weren’t “good enough”
• Are they over Apple being involved in markets they want to be in
• There are also rumors of some exclusivity agreements with Meta

I didn't think of agreements with Meta, that's very interesting.

 

[deadspider187]

There is no investment in the platform. It’s just enabling the iPad app. It’s petty. Not that it affects me much, I can’t use VR/AR headsets.

And supporting it. That's the part I don't think these companies want to deal with, at least until the product has an established marketshare.

 

[Nickerbocker]

What sucks is Google has a VR version of YouTube already designed for the Meta Quest 2 and 3. Would it really be a lot of effort for them to port it over?

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

I don't get the anger over this, including over Netflix. This product isn't targeted at consumers, stop expecting consumer-targetting companies to built their apps for it. They aren't going to invest on a platform where there is no market.

What is the target demographic then? You really think businesses are going to buy beta hardware and do what with exactly? Like most things Apple they simply market “pro” models as a tier for consumers who think they need the best of the best to edit a 5 min YouTube video.

 

[Jensend]

I don't get the anger over this, including over Netflix. This product isn't targeted at consumers, stop expecting consumer-targetting companies to built their apps for it. They aren't going to invest on a platform where there is no market.

It very much is targeted at consumers, given that watching video from streaming services and looking at your own photos and videos is what Apple has spent the most time showing.

 

[STOCK411]

What sucks is Google has a VR version of YouTube already designed for the Meta Quest 2 and 3. Would it really be a lot of effort for them to port it over?

Knowing Google (and places like amazon) it would take them 3 years to make native app for the Vision pro...


I mean it took amazon like 3 years just to make a native version of its Kindle app.. For how big some of these companies are, they seem to be very lazy and drag their feet when they need to make new app builds

I mean Google Maps does not even support dynamic Island.....

Edit: I recall it took Google like 3+ years to support iPad split screen.. What is Googles excuse for dragging their feet in supporting new features etc?

Its not like they have a team as small as some indy shops.....