Does The Vision Pro Need 3D Effects to Survive The Apple TV or the Headset? A Tale of Two Apple Devices in Their App Ecosystems
None of this is necessarily an indictment of the Vision Pro as a product without knowing how people will use it. People seem to like both of Apple’s products, the Apple TV and Apple Watch, both of which are not known for their vibrant app ecosystems. Unlike the iPad and iPhone, the headset is a different type of device. Even so, the lack of developer enthusiasm isn’t especially encouraging. After all, the Vision Pro will need more than a few cool 3D movie apps to thrive.
It seems like a bizarre choice for Apple’s big, shiny new platform at first glance. If the vision pro interface allows the touch first approach to be used, then it may not be a problem. After all, it’s not like the Reminders app needs mind-blowing immersive 3D effects. But part of the appeal of the platform for some folks will be the Vision Pro’s possibilities as a productivity device. If it’s frustrating to use the Calendar app because its main input method doesn’t quite get the job done, that could sour the experience of the $3,500 device a bit.
The Apple/Epic Agreement is a Win for the Future of the Internet, and Why Apple is Going After the Epic Disagreement
You’d think the recent end to the Apple / Epic dispute would have made things better since Apple was required to allow developers to link out to other places users can pay for apps. Even if someone clicks the link and subscribes via the internet, developers still owe Apple a commission. The 27 percent difference isn’t likely to change anyone’s mind. The message was clear: if you sell a product through the App Store, Apple will get its cut one way or another.
If you believe that the open web is a good thing, and that developers should spend more time on their websites and less on native ones, this is a big win for the future of the internet. I believe all of these things, although I confess to not being a big believer. It is happening after 20 years of mobile platforms downgrading and ignoring their browsing experience. You can create homescreen bookmarks, which are just shortcuts to web apps, but those web apps don’t have the same access to offline modes, cross-app collaboration, or some of your phone’s other built-in features. You can’t easily run browser extensions on mobile browsers. To stay on top of the services you use on the web via different apps, Apple makes it difficult. Mobile platforms treat browsers like webpage viewers, not app platforms, and it shows.
There are some reasons for hope, though: Apple recently added multiple profiles, external webcam support on the iPad, and a few other features to Safari, which at least shows Apple is aware Safari exists and is willing to give it access to some native features. For a long time it felt like Apple would happily ditch all its platforms, including the internet, if given the choice. But the company appears to be still invested in making Safari work. (All the Safari-focused antitrust pressure is probably helping move things along, too.)
