YouTube and Spotify, the leading video and music streaming platforms, have decided not to develop their own apps for Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro mixed reality headset. The decision follows a similar move by Netflix, according to Bloomberg.
YouTube said that it will not launch a new app for the Vision Pro, nor will it adapt the existing iPad app for the device. Instead, YouTube offers users to access its content through the Safari browser on the Vision Pro. Similarly, Spotify has no plans to create a new app for the Vision Pro’s operating system, visionOS, nor will it allow its iPad app to run on the new device. However, users will likely still be able to access Spotify through the browser.
The absence of Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube apps means that the most popular streaming services will not natively support Vision Pro after the headset’s launch on February 2. Apple has been promoting it as a platform for video, games, and other entertainment, but this decision by the largest streaming services is a significant setback for the company.
YouTube’s decision is particularly significant given its history with Apple products: it was one of the few apps pre-installed on the original iPad in 2010. Although YouTube has not ruled out supporting Vision Pro in the future, it has no plans to announce it at this time.
Other entertainment apps, including Disney+, HBO Max, Peacock, ESPN, and Amazon Prime Video, are expected to be immediately available on Vision Pro. Apple says the device will support more than 1 million apps in the App Store.
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