Apple says it will give developers the opportunity to apply for Vision Pro dev kits starting sometime in July.
In addition to releasing a first round of developer tools last week, including a software ‘Simulator’ of Vision Pro, Apple also wants to give developers a chance to get their hands on the headset itself.
The company indicates that applications for a Vision Pro development kit will open starting in July, and developers will be able to find details here when the time comes.
There’s no telling how many of the development kits the company plans to send out, or exactly when they will start shipping, but given Apple’s culture of extreme secrecy you can bet selected developers will be locked down with strict NDAs regarding their use of the device.
The Vision Pro developer kit isn’t the only way developers will be able to test their apps on a real headset.
Developers will also be able to apply to attend ‘Vision Pro developer labs’:
Apply for the opportunity to attend an Apple Vision Pro developer lab, where you can experience your visionOS, iPadOS, and iOS apps running on Apple Vision Pro. With direct support from Apple, you’ll be able to test and optimize your apps and games, so they’ll be ready when Apple Vision Pro is available to customers. Labs will be available in six locations worldwide: Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.
Our understanding is that applications for the developer labs will also open in July.
Additionally, developers will also be able to request that their app be reviewed by Apple itself on visionOS, though this is restricted to existing iPhone and iPad apps, rather than newly created apps for visionOS:
If you currently have an iPad or iPhone app on the App Store, we can help you test it on Apple Vision Pro. Request a compatibility evaluation from App Review to get a report on your app or game’s appearance and how it behaves in visionOS.
Vision Pro isn’t planned to ship until early 2024, but Apple wants to have third-party apps ready and waiting for when that time comes.