Apple Makes visionOS SDK Available For Developers
Apple has announced the release of new software tools and technologies that allow developers to create software for Apple Vision Pro, the company's first spatial computer. With the introduction of visionOS, Vision Pro offers users the ability to interact with digital content in their physical space using natural and intuitive inputs such as their eyes, hands, and voice. The new tools enable Apple's global developer community to design spatial computing apps that could potentially merge digital content with the physical world, providing new experiences for Apple users.
The visionOS software development kit (SDK) empowers developers to utilize the unique capabilities of Vision Pro and visionOS to create app experiences across various categories, including productivity, design, gaming, and more.
Apple will also open developer labs in key locations, such as Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo, to provide developers with hands-on experience, allowing them to test their apps on Apple Vision Pro hardware and receive support from Apple engineers. Additionally, development teams will have the opportunity to apply for developer kits, accelerating the process of building, iterating, and testing apps on Apple Vision Pro.
Developers can leverage familiar frameworks like Xcode, SwiftUI, RealityKit, ARKit, and TestFlight to utilize the features of Apple Vision Pro. These tools enable developers to create apps that span various levels of immersion, including windows with depth, volumes viewable from any angle, and spaces that fully immerse users in an environment with unbounded 3D content. To optimize 3D content for visionOS apps and games, Apple provides developers with the all-new Reality Composer Pro tool in Xcode, allowing them to preview and prepare 3D models, animations, images, and sounds that will work with Vision Pro. Moreover, developers can interact with their apps in the visionOS simulator to explore and test different room layouts and lighting conditions. Accessibility features are also built into every developer framework, ensuring that spatial computing and visionOS apps are accessible to all users.
Apple Vision Pro's capabilities are not limited to new app development. Developers who have been using Unity's robust authoring tools to build 3D apps and games can now port their Unity apps to Apple Vision Pro and fully utilize its powerful capabilities.
The visionOS SDK, along with updated versions of Xcode, Simulator, and Reality Composer Pro, is now available for Apple Developer Program members at developer.apple.com. Apple developers have access to comprehensive resources, including technical documentation, design kits, and updated human interface guidelines for visionOS, to support their design, development, and testing efforts.
