Get Ready to Build 3D Apps for Apple Vision Pro
Take your iPad and iPhone 3D apps further on Apple Vision Pro
Soon enough Apple will launch a brand-new App Store for its new smart headset, the Apple Vision Pro. The store will feature 3D apps and games built for visionOS, as well as hundreds of thousands existing apps build for iPhone and iPad but that should work on visionOS as well. Users will be able to access their existing iPhone and iPad apps and games on Apple Vision Pro, which will be made available along side the new visionOS apps that will be launched with the Apple Vision Pro.
To make sure that your iPhone and iPad apps run smoothly on visionOS from day one, developers must take into account 3D asset management, in order to avoid rigorous development work down the line.
Start building now.
Starting this fall, Apple is expected to release a developer beta release of visionOS which will include the App Store. By default, iPhone and iPad apps should be published on the App Store on Apple Vision Pro. Most frameworks available in iOS and iPadOS are expected to be included in visionOS. To make sure you won’t need to modify your 3D app to run on visionOS, consider moving your 3D assets to the cloud with echo3D, where you can easily manage and stream them remotely, making it easier to make cross-platform updates and gather client input.
echo3D simplifies the development & deployment of 3D, AR/VR, Metaverse, and spatial computing applications by providing an all-in-one 3D asset management platform, which includes SDKs for Unity, Unreal, Java, Swift, NodeJS, React, and Python to create better immersive 3D experiences. With echo3D, developers can move their 3D assets to the cloud, build smaller 3D/AR/VR & spatial computing apps that can be updated remotely, and stream new 3D content in real-time, without needing to redevelop or re-deploy their apps to different devices.
Note the timing! Customers will be able to use your apps on visionOS early next year when Apple Vision Pro becomes available. So no time to waste!
Make updates now.
Apple noted that in the case that your 3D app requires a capability that is unavailable on Apple Vision Pro, App Store Connect will indicate that your app isn’t compatible and it won’t be made available.
To make your app available, you can provide alternative functionality, or update its UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities property list key. If you need to edit any existing app’s availability, you can also do so in App Store Connect.
To see your 3D app in action, use the visionOS simulator in Xcode 15 beta. The simulator will allow you to interact with and easily test most of your app’s core functionality. For running and testing your 3D app on an Apple Vision Pro device, you can submit your app for a compatibility evaluation or sign up for a developer lab.
We recommend that you improve your processes for building, deploying, and updating your 3D app or game, so you’ll be able to quickly go from development, to testing, and to production, when Apple Vision Pro launches.
Our platform supports any 3D and spatial computing client-side SDK for developers, including Swift for iOS. Content creators with no technical knowledge can also use our platform and manage 3D content from anywhere. Team can securely store and share 3D assets across their organization, allowing them to collaborate, have efficient workflows, discover content, and minimize duplicates. This allows rapid iteration cycles, enabling teams to catch issues early and deliver higher-quality 3D experiences as a result. Your app and games will be much smaller and easier to update
- Easier to build: Move your 3D assets to the cloud and benefit from an easier and shorter development pipeline.
- Easier to update: Enable fast content updates, fix issues faster, and deliver a higher-quality game.
- Easier to Engage: Stream new 3D content to your users and change the game in real-time so users keep playing.
Ensure compatibility now.
You can start making your 3D app app or game feel more natural on visionOS by building your app with the visionOS SDK, which is compatible with echo3D’s API and headless CMS. Your app will then adopt the standard visionOS system appearance and you can add elements, such as 3D content tuned for eyes and hands input. You will also be able to update the content within your app or game, without needing to rebuild or redeploy the experience. To learn how to build a new 3D app or game with visionOS, view Apple’s resources here. To takes advantage of the unique capabilities of echo3D’s 3D-first CMS + CDN, sign up today for free here.
echo3D (www.echo3D.com) is a 3D asset management platform that enables developers and companies to manage, update, and stream 3D, AR/VR, Metaverse, & Spatial Computing content to real-time apps and games.
