TL;DR
- Early Development Stage: The Vision Pro App Store has only about 1,000 apps, leading to longer approval times and a less-defined process compared to mobile apps.
- Unreal Engine 5 Challenges: Victoria VR faces compatibility and support issues with Unreal Engine 5, but ongoing efforts from Apple and Epic Games aim to improve this.
- Development Hurdles: Key challenges include format incompatibilities, debugging difficulties, and the closed system with region locking, requiring persistence and innovation from developers.
As the tech world eagerly awaits Apple’s foray into virtual reality (VR) with the launch of the Vision Pro headset, developers are gearing up to explore this novel platform. Victoria VR, a pioneering development studio, sheds light on the unique challenges and exciting prospects that come with creating apps for Apple’s VR ecosystem.
🏆 Developing for Apple Vision Pro: Challenges and Opportunities 🚀
Apple’s Vision Pro VR platform is new and complex, with only 1,000 apps and no documentation for developers compared to 2M mobile apps. This means longer approval times and rigorous checks.
➡️ Read more:… pic.twitter.com/cD7IbBXfI8
— Victoria VR (@VictoriaVRcom) July 17, 2024
A Different Landscape for Vision Pro
While the Apple Store boasts a staggering 2 million mobile apps, the Vision Pro App Store currently hosts only about 1,000 apps. This disparity reflects the platform’s early stage of development, resulting in longer approval times for Vision Pro apps compared to their mobile counterparts.
Developers must navigate a less-defined approval process, emphasizing the need for patience and adaptability. Victoria VR acknowledges the frustration caused by approval delays.
However, they assure the community that every effort is being made to expedite the process. Unlike mobile apps, Vision Pro apps undergo more rigorous checks due to the platform’s novelty and complexity.
Developing VR Apps with Unreal Engine 5
Victoria VR aims to be at the forefront of Vision Pro development by leveraging Unreal Engine 5 (UE5). However, this endeavor isn’t without hurdles. Currently, there are few fully deployed UE5 VR apps on the Vision Pro App Store. Developers grapple with compatibility and support challenges, but ongoing efforts from both Apple and Epic Games promise improvements.
Overcoming Development Challenges
Victoria VR shares insights into their journey:
- Format Incompatibilities: Initially, exporting the application faced rejections due to format issues. This highlights potential limitations in Apple’s system support for default Unreal Engine applications. After persistent efforts, Victoria VR successfully created an acceptable file format.
- Debugging Difficulties: Apple’s processor posed additional challenges during debugging. The lack of documentation and specifications for using Unreal Engine with Vision Pro adds complexity. Developers rely on community forums and articles for insights.
- Closed System and Region Locking: Vision Pro operates as an exceptionally closed system, exacerbated by stringent region locking. Officially purchasing the headset in certain regions, like the Czech Republic, remains impossible. Debugging options are limited due to lack of support. Additionally, developing Vision Pro necessitates a Mac device, further complicating the process.
Despite these obstacles, Victoria VR remains committed to pushing the boundaries of VR development on Apple’s Vision Pro. Their progress is hampered by scarce headsets and Mac devices, but their determination fuels innovation.
