'Critical' Chinese Apps Coming to Apple Vision Pro

Chinese tech giant Tencent has agreed to make some of its most important apps available on Apple's Vision Pro headset ahead of its launch in the country later this year, The Information reports.

apple vision pro eye
Tencent is one of the biggest multimedia companies in the world and its apps and services are ubiquitous in China. It owns Weibo, WeChat, QQ, WeBank, Tencent Pictures, and games such as Honor of Kings and PUBG.

Apple TV+ and many other entertainment services such as Disney+ are not available in China. "Without Tencent's contribution, Apple would have faced a greater challenge in marketing the Vision Pro in China," the report explains, calling the company's move "critical" to the device's success in the country.

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that the Vision Pro will launch in China this year. It is likely to be more expensive in China due to import taxes and could even be marketed under a different name due to a trademark dispute with Huawei.

Apple is also apparently seeking Chinese partners to help it launch and run ‌Apple TV‌+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Fitness+ in the country. The company has not launched any new services in China since iCloud in 2017 due to government restrictions.

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

Popular Stories

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...
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...
maxresdefault

An Apple TV Refresh is Coming in 2025 - Here's What You Should Know

Wednesday February 5, 2025 10:17 am PST by
Apple hasn't refreshed the Apple TV since 2022, but rumors suggest that we're finally going to get an update in 2025. We don't have a full picture of what to expect yet, but we have some hints on what's coming. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Updated A-Series Chip The current Apple TV 4K uses the A15 Bionic chip that was in the iPhone 13 lineup, and it's time for...
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...
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...
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...
disney

Disney+ Loses 700,000 Subscribers Following Price Increase

Wednesday February 5, 2025 3:34 pm PST by
Disney+ lost 700,000 subscribers worldwide in recent months, according to Disney's earnings results for the first quarter of 2025. Disney said it now has 124.6 million Disney+ subscribers, a decrease of 0.7 million compared to its subscriber numbers in the fourth quarter of 2024. The drop in subscribers comes after Disney+ prices increased in the fall. Disney+ with Ads went from $7.99 to...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses to Expand to These 7 U.S. States

Wednesday February 5, 2025 6:27 am PST by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Below, we outline which U.S. states and territories offer the feature, and additional states that have committed to rolling it out in...

Top Rated Comments

anthogag Avatar
12 months ago
It seems like Apple really has to bend over in China. So many Western things are banned in China.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rychiar Avatar
12 months ago

I wasn't going to buy 1st gen product but I was excited to see what it was. I'm surprised how little talk there is of it now and how quickly I forgot about it lol. When the iPhone and iPad came out it was exciting new technology that I felt like I needed to get ASAP.

I think there is potential but it's going to take many years if Apple decide to support it. It's not even available here in the UK and if it was I'd still not buy it. I'll grab the 4th or 5th gen headset if we get that far.
The iPhone was exciting. The iPad launch was boring. I’d didn’t want one til 4th gen. Same with the watch, the Vision Pro is more exciting to me than anything else out there. I get excited to go home and use mine every day?‍♂️
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BGPL Avatar
12 months ago

Don't worry, this thing is dead already
It may have flopped, but it will still drive innovation. They pushed Meta to develop the Quest 3, which is mixed reality, and there will be others. The major problem is the price point. Imagine if Apple only sold Mac Pros and didn't offer the $999 MacBooks or $599 Mac minis... they need a low cost option, which is coming.

I would love to see the numbers of how many AVPs were returned within the first 14 days. You can already find them on eBay and FB for under $3000, so folks are taking a > $1000 loss to unload them. The scalpers got absolutely pummeled on this one.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
widestload Avatar
12 months ago
Wanting to get onboard a device that is basically a walking set of cameras and sensors?........ ?
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
scorpio vega Avatar
12 months ago
I had no idea china didn’t have Disney plus. That definitely is a challenge.

Hopefully with a china release this will further increase adoption of avp
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheShadowKnows! Avatar
12 months ago
After reading this Chinese-alliance article, I get a sinking feeling that Apple's future is totally "Cooked".
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)