Yes, the Apple Vision Pro can run over a million iPhone and iPad compatible apps, but what about apps that are native to VisionOS? I've been testing this futuristic $3,500 headset and I wanted to share some of the best Vision Pro apps I've tried so far.
Right now, there's about 200 Apple Vision Pro native apps available through the App Store but more are being added daily. You can access the Vision Pro App Store directly through the headset and just tap your fingers on the app you want to download. If it's a paid app, you'll be asked to confirm your purchase by double-pressing the capture button.
To be clear, there's some Vision Pro apps that are not worth your time. Like, who wants to put on a headset just to order cookies through Crumbl? And Carrot is just a glorified weather forecast dashboard. So what's actually good? Here's the best Vision Pro apps so far.
Djay
If you want to amaze yourself and your friends you have to try djay. The app puts a turntable right in the center of your field of view for you to start mixing music. You can control all the knobs and buttons in front of you, lift the needle and also create effects and transitions just by waving your hands. You can either use djay's built-in library or import your Apple Music tracks. This is a certified wow Vision Pro app.
JigSpace
JigSpace is a jaw-dropping demonstration of what's possible in augmented reality with the Vision Pro. The app lets you view complex 3D models with realistic animations and place them in the room with you. For example, I paced a Formula One race car in my living room and the light reflecting off the red paint job looked very realistic; I could also get up close and peek into the cockpit and still enjoyed a high level of detail. Plus, you can resize and spin these models around. JigSpace shows huge potential for the Vision Pro as a collaboration tool and also for education.
Disney Plus+
I hate watching 3D movies in the theater but the Vision Pro is a whole different ballgame. Because the headset is personalized to your face shape and eyes, the level of depth is unparalleled versus anything you've experienced before. I watched a clip from Avengers: Infinity War and I felt like was in the scene as Bucky and Captain America embraced before Thanos' attack on Wakanda.
And to add to that level of immersion, you can pick from several Environments to display around your movie, such as The Avenger Tower. Other options include Luke Skywalker's landspeeder (great for Star Wars content), the Disney+ Theater and the Scare Floor from Monster's Inc.
Synthriders
Synthriders is one of the most popular games on the Meta Quest 3, so I'm glad to see it on the Vision Pro, too. And it looks even better on Apple's headset with even crisper graphics. In this music game you catch notes with your hands, which turn into glowing orbs, as well as dodge obstacles to the beat of the music. I especially like that you can choose between Spatial (AR) and Immersive (VR) modes if you want to be truly deep in the action.
Encounter Dinosaurs
Okay, technically Encounter Dinosaurs of more of a demo than a full-fledged app, but it's jaw-dropping nonetheless. Right after the opening credits appear a butterfly flies towards your hand and lands right on your real-world finger. Then dinosaurs enter the frame and can see you looking at them and one of them literally leaps through the screen into whatever room you're watching in, getting up close and sniffing you out. It's pretty thrilling to experience and it does change each time.
What the Golf?
I'm a sucker for mini golf, and What the Golf? takes it to the next level by letting you place a full course anywhere in your space. You can move around the course to get just the right angle for your shot and it stays crystal clear and in focus. To shoot you touch the ball in augmented reality and pull it back kind of like a pinball, then you'll see a power gauge appear in your view. Just aim and shoot and try to hit the pin. It takes a bit of practice, but What the Golf? is a fun Vision Pro game.
Zoom
If you're going to bother to make a 3D personal avatar with the Vision Pro, called your Persona, you might as well put it to good use. The Zoom app lets you use Apple's spatial computer to appear in video calls. I tried it with a colleague, senior editor Anthony Spadafora, and he had a mixed reaction.
"I felt like I was talking to a futuristic ghost or maybe you were calling me from Heaven," Anthony said. "It was a bit odd at first but thanks to Memoji, I got used to it quickly." He also liked when I shared my screen, as I could share my view and any pinned apps, which could be good for collaboration. Personas are definitely a work in progress, but Zoom is a practical way to leverage them.
LEGO Builder's Journey
The popular Apple Arcade game has come to the Vision Pro in a very compelling way with LEGO Builder's Journey. You can pick up LEGO pieces and place them where the game tells you to go in Story mode, complete with very chill music and awesome animations of water washing away your bricks as you complete challenges. Or you can just have fun in a freestyle mode. The LEGO pieces look very convincing up close, and you can quickly turn them around by using your second hand to spin them.
Sky Guide
I'm not much of a stargazer but I couldn't help but be impressed with SkyGuide, which is a fully immersive VR app for the Vision Pro. It's like your own planetarium. As you look up and around you'll see various constellations light up the night sky, and you can even use a virtual laser pointer in your choice of color to trace beams of light above you. Choose from city, mountain and ocean views as your backdrop and your time of day (now, dusk, night) and just relax and enjoy the view.
