Apple Vision Pro — Developer Getting Started

Apple Vision Pro is a virtual reality (VR) headset that was announced by Apple in June 2023. It is a high-end device that is designed for both gaming and productivity. The Vision Pro features a powerful M2 processor, a high-resolution display, and a comfortable design. It also includes a number of features that are designed to make it easier to use for productivity tasks, such as hand tracking and eye tracking.

Vision Pro also features a wide range of sensors that allow it to track the user’s head, eyes, and hands. This allows users to interact with virtual objects in a natural and intuitive way.

Vision Pro also includes a number of new features that are designed to make it a more immersive and engaging experience. These features include:

• Spatial Audio: This feature creates the illusion that sound is coming from all around the user, making it feel like they are actually in the virtual world.
• Hand Tracking: This feature allows users to interact with virtual objects by simply moving their hands, without having to use any controllers.
• Face Tracking: This feature allows Vision Pro to track the user’s facial expressions, which can be used for a variety of purposes, such as animating virtual characters or providing feedback during gaming.

Vision Pro is a powerful new tool that has the potential to change the way we interact with computers. It is still early days for mixed reality, but Vision Pro is a significant step towards making this technology more mainstream.

Here are some of the ways that Vision Pro could be a game-changer:

• Gaming: Vision Pro could revolutionize gaming by making it possible to experience games in a completely new way. With its high-resolution display, powerful processor, and hand tracking, Vision Pro could make games feel more immersive and realistic than ever before.
• Creativity: Vision Pro could also be a game-changer for creativity. Artists, designers, and architects could use Vision Pro to create new and innovative work. For example, architects could use Vision Pro to design buildings in 3D, or artists could use it to create new forms of art.
• Productivity: Vision Pro could also be a game-changer for productivity. Businesses could use Vision Pro to train employees, collaborate on projects, or give presentations. For example, a business could use Vision Pro to train employees on new software by creating interactive simulations.

Apple has released a number of tools and resources to help developers create apps for Vision Pro. These tools include:

• VisionOS SDK: This SDK provides developers with the tools they need to create Vision Pro apps. It includes APIs for accessing Vision Pro’s hardware and features, as well as a number of sample apps. Support for new VisionPro features: iOS SDK 16.0 includes support for new VisionPro features, such as hand tracking and face tracking.
• Reality Composer: This app allows developers to create 3D scenes and objects that can be used in Vision Pro apps. It includes a number of tools for creating and editing 3D models, as well as a number of pre-built assets that developers can use to speed up their development process.
• Xcode: This IDE is used to develop apps for all Apple platforms, including Vision Pro. It includes a number of features that make it easy to develop Vision Pro apps, such as a built-in simulator that allows developers to test their apps without having to own a Vision Pro headset. Xcode 14.0 includes support for VisionOS, which is the operating system that powers VisionPro. This includes support for VisionOS APIs, such as the SCN and AR APIs.

In addition to these tools, Apple has also published a number of Human Interface Guidelines that developers can use to create Vision Pro apps that are user-friendly and accessible. These guidelines cover a wide range of topics, including how to design for Vision Pro’s unique input methods, how to create 3D content that is easy to interact with, and how to make Vision Pro apps accessible to users with disabilities.

Apple has also announced early access to Vision Pro hardware and software, as well as support and resources to help them develop Vision Pro apps. These programs could be either the regular or enterprise programs.

• Apple Developer Program
• Apple Developer Enterprise Program

To develop a Vision Pro App

1. Learn about Vision Pro. Before you start developing an app for Vision Pro, it’s important to learn as much as you can about the device. This includes understanding its hardware, software, and features. You can learn more about Vision Pro on the Apple Developer website.
2. Choose a development platform. There are two main development platforms for Vision Pro: Xcode and Unity. Xcode is Apple’s IDE, while Unity is a cross-platform game engine. Both platforms have their own advantages and disadvantages.
3. Here is some very simple sample code.

import VisionOS

class MyApp: VisionOSApp {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        // Create a 3D cube.
        let cube = SCNBox(width: 1, height: 1, length: 1, chamferRadius: 0.05)

        // Add the cube to the scene.
        scene.rootNode.addChildNode(cube)
    }
}

This code creates a simple 3D cube and adds it to the scene. The cube is created using the SCNBox class, which is a class that represents a 3D box. The width, height, and length properties of the SCNBox class are used to specify the width, height, and length of the cube. The chamferRadius property is used to specify the radius of the chamfers that are applied to the corners of the cube.

The code then adds the cube to the scene using the addChildNode method of the SCNNode class. The SCNNode class is a class that represents a node in a scene graph. A scene graph is a data structure that represents the relationship between objects in a scene. The addChildNode method adds a child node to the current node.

Say you wanted to rotate this cube ,

Here is how we would modify the code

import VisionOS

class MyApp: VisionOSApp {

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        // Create a 3D cube.
        let cube = SCNBox(width: 1, height: 1, length: 1, chamferRadius: 0.05)

        // Add the cube to the scene.
        scene.rootNode.addChildNode(cube)

        // Create a control that allows the user to rotate the cube.
        let rotationControl = SCNNode()
        rotationControl.pivot = SCNVector3(x: 0.5, y: 0.5, z: 0.5)
        rotationControl.rotation = SCNVector4(x: 1, y: 0, z: 0, w: 0)
        scene.rootNode.addChildNode(rotationControl)

        // Rotate the cube when the user moves the control.
        rotationControl.onRotation = { [weak self] rotation in
            self?.cube.rotation = rotation
        }
    }
}

Hope this helps in getting started