Apple wants Vision Pro apps to use the “Spatial Computing” branding

Apple’s first mixed-reality headset, the Vision Pro’s launch, is knocking at our doorsteps. The headset is coming out on February 2, and developers are rushing to submit their applications for the headset’s App Store.

However, the developers were given some pretty typically Apple advice and asked to avoid certain terms and phrases when describing the apps. 

When you scroll down to the “Describing your App” section under the Submit your Apps page, Apple strongly recommends using the following naming conventions:

• Refer to your app as a spatial computing app. 
• Don’t describe your app experience as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), extended reality (XR), or mixed reality (MR).

Vision Pro uses a mix of virtual and augmented reality experiences, so this particular approach seems pretty strange, until you realize that Apple wants to distance itself from these terms. 

Even Apple used the terms in the past, during the WWDC 2022. But now, the company wants developers to do the complete opposite. 

However, VR/AR/MR/XR has had a rough time over the years. As such, it’s likely that Apple wants to make Spatial Computing appear as a new concept, and hopefully nail it this time around.

Apple wants to use “Spatial Computing” to describe Vision Pro apps

Apple also has a dedicated Augmented Reality page, where the company showcases a film on how developers can use a feature called ARKit for their apps.

However, the apps listed on this page have AR features, like Apple’s own Clips app.

Clips is a free app from Apple, launched back in 2017 that enables you to add animated stickers, emoji, and AR effects to videos and images – kind of like Snapchat. However, the app hasn’t seen an update since October 2022.

But on this Augmented Reality page, Apple has described the AR feature in Clips. There are also other apps like Moon Shot AR, Museum Alive, etc – al an excellent way to showcase Vision Pro’s capability. 

Ultimately, we believe Apple wants “Spatial Computing” to be the primary term for its VR, AR, XR, and MR experiences. The company wants its own space, tailor-made for itself, and wants to build customer recognition around the branding. 

But is it too late for that? We’ll see.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Sony (kind of) announces its Vision Pro competitor at CES 2024
• Apple Vision Pro 2 to get brighter, more efficient Samsung display
• Why the Apple Vision Pro might be a challenge to get your hands on in 2024
• Second-gen Vision Pro leak points to late 2025 or early 2026 launch