Tech

It looks like YouTube is planning to build a Vision Pro app down the line: 'It's on our roadmap'

Tim Cook with the Apple Vision Pro at an unveiling event
Vision Pro sales have reportedly exceeded analysts' estimates. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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YouTube has said an app for Apple's Vision Pro is "on our roadmap."

The Verge reported the news, citing a statement by company spokesperson Jessica Gibby on Monday.

In mid-January, Gibby told The Verge that users could access the service on the Vision Pro via Safari. YouTube's iPad app wouldn't support Apple's new product either, she said.

Days after the Vision Pro's launch, however, Gibby's new statement suggested YouTube was also keen on a dedicated app.

The statement issued to The Verge said, "We're excited to see Vision Pro launch and we're supporting it by ensuring YouTube users have a great experience in Safari. We do not have any specific plans to share at this time, but can confirm that a Vision Pro app is on our roadmap."

Representatives for YouTube did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, made outside normal working hours.

Netflix and Spotify also declined to build new apps for visionOS or have their existing iPad apps supported on the platform, Bloomberg reported. Both streaming services are expected to be accessible from a web browser.

Paired with YouTube's initial focus on access via Safari rather than an app, the announcements could be seen as high-profile snubs ahead of Apple's big launch day. The tech giant has been relying on entertainment to help sell the mixed-reality headset.

While preorders for the Vision Pro reportedly exceeded analysts' estimates, some have expressed concerns about the headset's hefty price tag and niche audience.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who specializes in Apple's supply chain, said the Vision Pro was still "a very niche product" for now and that demand for it would likely "quickly taper off" after die-hard fans had placed orders.

Apple's Vision Pro officially launched last Friday to a buzzy reception and users have been spotted wearing the headsets around major cities.

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Beatrice Nolan was a tech reporter on the business news team in the UK. She joined Insider in January 2022 as a fellow on Business Insider's careers desk. Beatrice covered tech and the future of work, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Some of her stories and early experiments with ChatGPT are widely cited. Beatrice has also discussed her work covering AI trends on panels and radio shows, including NPR.She was based in Business Insider's London office and graduated from the University of  York with a bachelor's degree in English.Featured Articles:Artists say AI image generators are copying their style to make thousands of new images — and it's completely out of their control.ChatGPT was a black swan eventFinland is the world's happiest country, but Finns say we're confusing happiness for something elseThe world is splitting between those who use ChatGPT to get better, smarter, richer — and everyone elseThis man used AI to write and illustrate a children's book in one weekend. He wasn't prepared for the backlash.ChatGPT has only been around for 2 months and is causing untold chaosTwo professors who say they caught students cheating on essays with ChatGPT explain why AI plagiarism can be hard to proveChatGPT wrote college application essays. Admissions professionals said they passed for essays written by students but wouldn't have a chance at any top colleges.College professors are considering creative ways to stop students from using AI to cheatChatGPT wrote my cover letters. Here's how recruiters responded.