YouTube Arrives on Apple Vision Pro
▼ Summary
– The official YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro’s visionOS is launching on Thursday, enabling playback of all video formats including standard, Shorts, 3D, 360, and VR180.
– The Vision Pro headset launched over two years ago without an official YouTube app, as YouTube initially stated it had no plans to build one.
– YouTube reversed its position shortly after the Vision Pro’s release, announcing the app was on its roadmap in early February 2024.
– The app’s arrival comes just over two years after that initial announcement of its development.
– An unofficial YouTube app called Juno, created by developer Christian Selig, was available at launch but was removed from the App Store in October 2024.
The official YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro is set to launch this Thursday, bringing a full-featured video experience to the mixed reality headset. According to an Apple spokesperson, the new visionOS application will support the platform’s entire library, from standard videos and YouTube Shorts to immersive 3D, 360-degree, and VR180 content. This marks a significant development for Vision Pro users, who have waited over two years for native YouTube access since the device’s initial release.
When the Vision Pro first debuted, YouTube publicly stated it had no plans to develop a dedicated app for the platform. This stance shifted just days after the headset became available to consumers, with the company announcing a native app was officially “on our roadmap.” That announcement came in early February 2024, meaning the journey from promise to product has spanned just over two years. The absence of an official app led to third-party solutions filling the gap, most notably an unofficial client called Juno.
Juno was created by Christian Selig, the developer behind the popular Apollo app for Reddit, and was available at the Vision Pro’s launch. It provided users with a way to access YouTube content on their new device. However, Apple removed Juno from the App Store in October 2024, leaving Vision Pro owners without a dedicated YouTube option until now. The arrival of the official app consolidates YouTube’s presence on the platform, offering a sanctioned and presumably more integrated viewing experience for all forms of video content.
(Source: The Verge)
