There are over 600 specialized apps available for Apple’s Vision Pro headset, but YouTube is not among them. Just last month, the Google-owned service stated that it had no intention of creating such an app.
Things can change in a matter of weeks. Today, YouTube informed The Verge that a Vision Pro app is “on the roadmap”. However, they did not specify when the app will be available for Apple’s headset. In the meantime, YouTube is ensuring a great user experience in Safari for Vision Pro users.
This is a significant development, as it is uncommon for companies to deny interest in a new product as YouTube did last month, and even more rare for them to reverse their decision so quickly.
The reason for the change is unclear. It is possible that the Vision Pro’s popularity exceeded the initial expectations of Google and YouTube. Alternatively, it could be related to the success of a $5 third-party YouTube app for the Vision Pro, currently ranked No.3 in the Photo & Video category in the App Store downloads for the headset.
We may never know for certain, but the important thing is that an official app is on the way. It is unlikely to support 360-degree and VR YouTube videos already on YouTube and not created for the Vision Pro, as none of them work in Safari either. This is because Apple deems them inadequate.
An Apple spokesperson stated: “Much of this content was created for devices that do not deliver a high-quality spatial experience. In some cases, this content could also cause motion discomfort. We’ve focused our efforts on delivering the best spatial media experience possible including spatial photos and videos, Apple Immersive Video, and 3D movies available on Apple TV”.
