Apple Claims Vision Pro SDK Downloads Exceeded Expectations Amid Developer Lab Attendance Concerns

Downloads of the visionOS software development kit (SDK) apparently surpassed Apple's expectations, despite previously reported concerns about developer interest in the Vision Pro headset.

Vision Pro lab
In an interview with Digital Trends, Apple executives indicated that there has been a high level of interest in Vision Pro from developers. The affirmation comes on the heels of concerns highlighted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman last month claiming that the developer labs have been "under-filled with small amounts of developers." 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.

Apple refrained from directly addressing these reports, but Apple vice president of worldwide developer relations Susan Prescott pointed out that there was an "extremely high, three-digit customer satisfaction for the labs that we've run so far."

Steve Sinclair, senior director of product marketing for Apple Vision Pro, also told Digital Trends that "the number of SDK downloads has exceeded our expectations," purportedly indicating that Vision Pro has been very popular among developers. The visionOS simulator has been available since late June, allowing developers to begin building and testing apps for the device ahead of its launch in early 2024.

Related Roundups: Apple Vision Pro, visionOS 2
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Buy Now)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
airtag purple

AirTag 2 Rumored to Launch Next Year With These New Features

Sunday November 17, 2024 5:18 am PST by
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021, so it is now three over and a half years old. While the AirTag has not received any hardware updates since then, a new version of the item tracking accessory is rumored to be in development. Below, we recap rumors about a second-generation AirTag. Timing Apple is aiming to release a new AirTag in mid-2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman....
Magic Mouse Next to Keyboard

No, Apple CEO Tim Cook Didn't Say He Prefers Logitech's MX Master 3 Over the Magic Mouse

Sunday November 17, 2024 3:03 pm PST by
While the Logitech MX Master 3 is a terrific mouse for the Mac, reports claiming that Apple CEO Tim Cook prefers that mouse over the Magic Mouse are false. The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that...
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
iPhone 17 Slim Feature Single Camera 1 Redux

'iPhone 17 Air' Rumored to Surpass iPhone 6 as Thinnest iPhone Ever

Monday November 18, 2024 1:07 pm PST by
In a research note with Hong Kong-based investment bank Haitong today, obtained by MacRumors, Apple analyst Jeff Pu said he agrees with a recent rumor claiming that the so-called "iPhone 17 Air" will be around 6mm thick. "We agreed with the recent chatter of an 6mm thickness ultra-slim design of the iPhone 17 Slim model," he wrote. If that measurement proves to be accurate, there would be ...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Make Sure to Update: iOS 18.1.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 Fix Actively Exploited Vulnerabilities

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:52 am PST by
The iOS 18.1.1, iPadOS 18.1.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1.1 updates that Apple released today address JavaScriptCore and WebKit vulnerabilities that Apple says have been actively exploited on some devices. With the JavaScriptCore vulnerability, processing maliciously crafted web content could lead to arbitrary code execution. The WebKit vulnerability had the same issue with maliciously crafted...

Top Rated Comments

goonie4life9 Avatar
16 months ago
More of Apple’s tutti-frutti, phoney baloney, plastic banana, good time, rock-n-roll PR nonsense. Apple makes great products and I really don’t understand their insistence on using these vague statements. It’s like they don’t believe in their own products and are trying to add a facade to what otherwise would be bland products.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rodney Dangerfield Avatar
16 months ago

I want to try it, I am sure it will be great, but I don’t see how it would be a mainstream hit with that price. It’s not like people have some $3500 in their pocket to burn. People put up with price hike of iPhone because they need a phone and the alternative is android. People don’t really “need” Vision Pro.

This will be a niche product, and developers don’t spend their time developing for niche product. They will need to find ways to bring down the price to macbook air (or macbook Pro) range to consider it as Mac alternative / media player.
Disagree...Apple has hit a HOME RUN with Vision Pro and can always reduce the price!

For people with disabilities (like me with MS) and increasing cost of travel, the era of virtual travel will become mainstream!
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
bobmans Avatar
16 months ago
Three digits customer satisfaction? What does that even mean?
100%? 90.5%? 5.69%?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fwmireault Avatar
16 months ago
Low expectations = positive results
Score: 21 Votes (Like | Disagree)
syklee26 Avatar
16 months ago
I want to try it, I am sure it will be great, but I don’t see how it would be a mainstream hit with that price. It’s not like people have some $3500 in their pocket to burn. People put up with price hike of iPhone because they need a phone and the alternative is android. People don’t really “need” Vision Pro.

This will be a niche product, and developers don’t spend their time developing for niche product. They will need to find ways to bring down the price to macbook air (or macbook Pro) range to consider it as Mac alternative / media player.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Unami Avatar
16 months ago
yeah, “three digit”, a.k.a more than a hundred, probably far less than 200. Also, curious that she is talking about a three digit “customer satisfaction” which already sounds dishonest as if it were an indication that there were probably even less developers and they are counting every visitor and his dog. Obvious marketing-BS like this rather seeds mistrust than confidence.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)