Apple's Vision Pro Developer Labs Not Drawing Many Attendees

Apple in July began inviting developers to Vision Pro-focused developer labs in cities that include Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo, but so far, developers don't appear to be expressing a lot of interest in attending.

Apple Vision Pro with battery Feature Blue Magenta
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the developer labs have been "under-filled with small amounts of developers." One issue is that Apple is not offering U.S. developer labs outside of Cupertino, which means any developer that wants to try the Vision Pro must travel to Apple's headquarters in California.

The Vision Pro developer labs that Apple is hosting are meant to give developers hands-on time with the Vision Pro headset as well as help from Apple engineers as they begin to develop apps for the upcoming device. The labs will provide testing and optimization for visionOS apps, with Apple experts on hand.

Any developer can apply to attend a developer lab, but Apple is not reimbursing for travel, and developers located on the east coast of the United States will have to fund cross-country travel to get to the lab. Apple's choice to host only one U.S. lab location is curious as the company has said that the Vision Pro will be launching first in the United States before becoming available in other countries.

The visionOS simulator has not been available for long, so many developers may still have apps in development and might not be ready to attend a lab. Other developers may not be motivated to create apps when the Vision Pro isn't slated to launch in their countries for some time.

Apple is also planning to send Vision Pro developer kits to some developers, and applications opened two weeks ago. The developer kits are available in limited quantities, with Apple prioritizing apps that best take advantage of the Vision Pro features and capabilities. Apple has strict rules for the developer kits, such as limiting them to one development site and keeping them in a private, secure workspace, which may not be possible for some smaller developers.

Developers will have more than six months to test and develop apps for the Vision Pro as it is not expected to launch until early 2024, a timeline that could range from January 2024 to April 2024, and that's provided there are no launch delays.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive an All-New Perk

Thursday February 6, 2025 11:21 am PST by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. iCloud+ is the official name for Apple's paid iCloud storage plans, which range from 50GB for $0.99 per month to 12TB for $59.99 per month in the United States. iCloud+ plans already come with multiple perks for free, such as Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video, and now there is another one...
2007 iPhone

Apple Discontinuing This 18-Year-Old iPhone Feature

Saturday February 8, 2025 3:51 pm PST by
The end of an 18-year era is on the horizon for the iPhone. Apple reportedly plans to announce a new iPhone SE as soon as next week, and the device is expected to feature a full-screen design with Face ID, instead of a Touch ID home button. That means Apple will no longer sell any new iPhone models with a home button, for the first time since the original iPhone launched. The home button...
iOS 18

iOS 18.4 Will Include These New Features for Your iPhone

Wednesday February 5, 2025 7:15 am PST by
iOS 18.3 was released last month, so the first iOS 18.4 beta should be coming soon. iOS 18.4 is expected to be a more substantial update for the iPhone, with several new features and changes related to Apple Intelligence and beyond. Apple's website suggests that iOS 18.4 will be released in April, following beta testing. Below, we outline what to expect from the update so far. Apple...
iPhone SE 4 Single Camera Thumb

iPhone SE 4 Launching as Soon as Next Week

Thursday February 6, 2025 3:30 pm PST by
Apple's next-generation iPhone SE could debut as soon as next week with a launch to follow later in February, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple isn't expected to hold an event for the iPhone SE 4, and will instead unveil the device through a press release. The iPhone SE 4 is expected to have an iPhone 14-style design, with Apple eliminating the thick bezels and Touch ID Home button of...
iCloud General Feature Redux

Apple Ordered by UK to Create Global iCloud Encryption Backdoor

Friday February 7, 2025 2:37 am PST by
The British government has secretly demanded that Apple give it blanket access to all encrypted user content uploaded to the cloud, reports The Washington Post. The undisclosed order is said to have been issued last month, and requires that Apple creates a back door that allows UK security officials unencumbered access to encrypted user data worldwide – an unprecedented demand not before...
iOS 18

iOS 18.3.1 Update Coming Soon for iPhones

Thursday February 6, 2025 7:31 am PST by
Apple is internally testing iOS 18.3.1 for iPhones, according to our website's analytics logs, which have been a consistently reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. The software update should be released within the next few weeks. iOS 18.3.1 should be a minor update that addresses software bugs and/or security vulnerabilities. Apple Intelligence notification summaries for news and...
Apple Leak Feature

Apple Leaker Issues Apology: 'Profound and Expensive Mistake'

Friday February 7, 2025 9:21 am PST by
Last year, we reported that Apple sued its former software engineer Andrew Aude for providing journalists with confidential information about the company's future plans, including details about the Journal app, Vision Pro headset, and more. As reported by 9to5Mac, the Superior Court of Santa Clara County on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit after Apple and Aude reached an agreement to resolve...
imac video apple feature

Apple to Announce New Products Next Week

Saturday February 8, 2025 10:55 am PST by
Apple has yet to release any new devices in 2025, but at least two new products are expected to be announced next week, according to rumors. Below, we outline the new Apple products that are likely to be unveiled next week. iPhone SE 4 Apple plans to announce the long-rumored iPhone SE 4 as soon as next week, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The new iPhone SE is rumored to...

Top Rated Comments

Matthew.H Avatar
20 months ago
The aspect of the device costing $3500 may be off-putting in itself.
Score: 52 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
20 months ago
Niche Market + Niche Product = Niche Interest.

In addition, I think Apple should cover the travel expenses. It's a multi-trillion-dollar company.
Score: 46 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BellSystem Avatar
20 months ago
You mean people don’t want to make software for Apple’s dystopian nightmare? People don’t want to watch their kid’s birthday like a cyborg? Wow. Who would have thought.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
raindogg Avatar
20 months ago
I don't see a reason for VR/AR headsets besides Games and Porn.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
User 6502 Avatar
20 months ago
This thing will flop so hard pippin will look like a success in comparison.
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Drew1980 Avatar
20 months ago
I have a bad feeling about Vision. I hope it doesn’t flop but I don’t see it being as popular as other Apple devices.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)