Apple offers developer tools to create immersive 3D apps for Vision Pro

Also, Apple is opening developer labs in several global cities to help creators test their apps on Vision Pro hardware

Apple earlier this month unveiled the company's first-ever mixed reality headgear Vision Pro at World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 edition.

As Vision Pro is a completely new product category, Apple and app developers need more time to create a visionOS ecosystem of related applications.

With Vision Pro slated to be released in early 2024, Apple in a bid to help developers, is offering tools to deliver spatial experiences for the customers.

With the new tools, app creators can build apps that can seamlessly blend digital content with the physical world to deliver a visually immersive mixed-reality experience.

Apple Vision Pro delivers an immersive infinite 3D canvas view. Credit: Apple

In July, Apple will also be opening developer labs in several major global cities including the company's home Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo. There creators will get the opportunities to test their apps on Vision Pro.

"Apple Vision Pro redefines what’s possible on a computing platform. Developers can get started building visionOS apps using the powerful frameworks they already know, and take their development even further with new innovative tools and technologies like Reality Composer Pro, to design all-new experiences for their users,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.

Even with the existing Xcode, SwiftUI, RealityKit, ARKit, and TestFlight tools, developers can create new types of apps that can deliver immersive infinite canvas views with 3D content.

Most importantly, creators can make good use of developer labs to preview their mixed reality apps and prepare 3D models, animations, images, and sounds.

Apple Vision Pro headgear. Credit: Apple

Add to that, Apple starting next month, will allow developers who have been building 3D apps and games with Unity’s robust authoring tools to port their Unity apps to operate on Apple Vision Pro.

Furthermore, developers also get to interact with expert engineers to get feedback and refine their apps.

Several prominent app companies are appreciating Apple's efforts to help budding developer teams and also have expressed that Vision Pro will have a positive impact on several sectors, particularly in health and education.

Apple Vision Pro can help deliver an immersive learning experience for medical students. Credit: Apple

“With Apple Vision Pro, Complete HeartX will help prepare medical students for clinical practice by using hyper-realistic 3D models and animations that help them understand and visualize medical issues, such as ventricular fibrillation, and how to apply their knowledge with patients,” said Jan Herzhoff, Elsevier Health’s president.

“Learning through Complete HeartX on Apple Vision Pro will transform medical education and prepare future health professionals for practice,” added Herzhoff.

The visionOS SDK, updated Xcode, Simulator, and Reality Composer Pro are available for Apple Developer Program members at the official Apple developer website (here).

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