Apple lays down a strict rule for Vision Pro developers

The Vision Pro is hitting the shelves next month, and the latest scoop is that Apple has asked app developers for visionOS (the headset’s operating system) not to refer to visionOS apps as “AR” or “VR.” We got wind of Apple’s latest creation back in June 2023, pitched as a spatial computer blending digital content with the user’s real environment. Packed with top-notch Apple graphics specs and visionOS, Apple touts it as the “world’s first spatial computing system.”

At a quick look, the Vision Pro seems quite like the Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) headsets already out there. So, it’s intriguing that Apple is making a point to avoid any confusion with them. The unofficial prohibition on AR and VR mentions, along with Extended Reality (XR) and Mixed Reality (MR), was noticed in the guidelines of the latest Xcode update (Apple’s set of developer tools) that rolled out after the news that Vision Pro devices will hit stores in early February.

You can find this suggestion clearly spelled out on a fresh Apple Developer page that walks developers through the steps to get their app ready for submission to the App Store.

Apple is making it clear that developers must go with the “visionOS” branding, starting with a lowercase “v” (following the style of their flagship operating system for desktops and laptops, macOS). Also, they need to use the device’s full name, “Apple Vision Pro,” when talking about it. These instructions, while not as surprising as Apple’s big no-no on using VR and AR terms, highlight that, according to Apple, visionOS apps won’t be categorized as VR, XR, or MR apps but rather as “spatial computing apps.”

This move is intriguing for a couple of reasons. Introducing a new term might confuse folks, as users need to get used to it and actually start using it for it to catch on. However, it also allows Apple to stand out from the crowd of AR/VR devices.

This marks a shift from their previous messaging that heavily relied on terms like augmented reality and virtual reality. While most of Apple’s current promotions pitch the Vision Pro as a “spatial computing” platform, during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in 2023, Apple CEO Tim Cook presented it as an “entirely new AR platform.”

Essentially, it’s more of a marketing and branding strategy as Apple becomes more assured that customers grasp what the Vision Pro is all about. According to 9to5Mac, leading up to the official announcement, Apple engineers referred to visionOS as xrOS.