Native Development for Apple Vision Pro By James Ashley

Summary

James Ashley, a veteran Unity developer, discusses the merits of native development for Apple's Vision Pro versus using Unity. He highlights the benefits of native development, such as access to new features and APIs first, better integration with Apple's ecosystem, and the ability to create apps that look and feel truly native. However, he acknowledges the challenges of learning a new language and the costs associated with native development. Ashley also emphasizes the importance of understanding the native development process, even for Unity developers, to effectively debug and communicate with clients.

Takeaways

• 😀 James Ashley, a Unity developer with experience in AR and spatial computing, advocates for learning native development for Apple's Vision Pro.
• 🏥 James currently works at CVS Healthcare Innovation Labs, exploring new uses for the Vision Pro in healthcare.
• 🛍️ He previously led an engineering project at Walmart Store 8, creating an app for organizing store shelves, which gained recognition from Tim Cook.
• 🤝 James is collaborating with Farhan on XR Bootcamp to create masterclasses for Unity developers transitioning to Vision Pro development.
• 🔧 He emphasizes that while Unity is popular for AR development, native development for Vision Pro might be beneficial due to better integration with Apple's ecosystem.
• 📈 Native development offers early access to new features and APIs, as well as more robust documentation and support from Apple.
• 💻 The transition to native development requires learning Swift, Swift UI, and using Xcode and Reality Composer Pro, which are built specifically for Vision OS.
• 💡 James suggests that even if using Unity, understanding the native development process can aid in debugging and communicating with clients.
• 💰 There are financial considerations for developers, such as the cost of MacBooks, Apple Developer memberships, and potentially a Unity Pro license for accessing certain features.
• 🛡️ Privacy and security are highlighted as concerns for Apple, with restrictions like needing an Enterprise membership for certain functionalities.
• 🔗 James provides resources for learning native development, including Apple's developer documentation, Ray Wenderlich's tutorials, and courses from XR Bootcamp.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the discussion led by James Ashley?

The main topic of the discussion is native development for the Apple Vision Pro, particularly addressing why Unity developers might want to consider investing in learning native iOS development for the platform.

What is James Ashley's current role at CVS Health?

James Ashley is working at CVS Health Innovation Labs, exploring new ways of using the Vision Pro in the healthcare space.

What was the project that James Ashley led at Walmart Store 8?

James Ashley led an enterprise project at Walmart Store 8 that helped people organize store shelves, which was recognized and praised by Tim Cook for its innovation in the enterprise space.

What is the XR boot camp, and what is James Ashley's involvement with it?

The XR boot camp is an initiative aimed at providing master classes around Vision Pro development. James Ashley is working with Farhan and the XR boot camp to create these classes, focusing on helping Unity developers transition to iOS development.

What is the significance of the course 'Swift Development for Unity Devs' mentioned by James Ashley?

The course 'Swift Development for Unity Devs' is significant as it showcases the similarities between Swift and C#, and between development environments like Xcode and Visual Studio, to help Unity developers feel more comfortable with native iOS development.

Why might Unity developers consider learning native development for Apple Vision Pro despite their focus on Unity?

Unity developers might consider learning native development to leverage the full capabilities of the Apple Vision Pro, ensure their apps look and feel native to the Apple ecosystem, and gain early access to new features and APIs.

What are some of the challenges faced by Unity developers when transitioning to native development for Apple Vision Pro?

Challenges include learning a new language and development environment, adjusting to different tools like Xcode and Reality Composer Pro, and the potential need to pay for a Unity Pro license for accessing certain features on Vision Pro.

What is the cost implication for developers who want to develop for Apple Vision Pro?

Developers need to invest in an Apple developer membership ($99), a MacBook with an Apple silicon chip (M1, M2, M3, or M4), and potentially a Unity Pro license ($2,000/year) for accessing certain enterprise features.

What are some of the benefits of using Unity for developing applications for Apple Vision Pro?

Benefits of using Unity include a large developer community, existing knowledge and experience with spatial computing, and the potential for cross-platform development with other AR/VR platforms.

How does the speaker view the current state of Unreal Engine in relation to Apple Vision Pro development?

The speaker views Unreal Engine as being in a development phase similar to where Unity was nine months prior, with early releases that were challenging to work with. However, they acknowledge that Unreal Engine is working seriously on supporting Vision Pro and may offer a viable alternative in the future.

What is the speaker's perspective on the performance capabilities of native development versus Unity development for Apple Vision Pro?

The speaker suggests that while it is a hunch without concrete evidence, there is a general assumption that native development might offer better performance and the ability to push the device further, as evidenced by differences in video bitrate limits.

What are the licensing implications for developers using Unity for immersive applications on Apple Vision Pro?

For immersive applications, developers using Unity need a Pro license, which costs $2,000/year. Without this license, certain components required for immersive experiences will not function in the Unity project.

What are the speaker's thoughts on the future of web XR and Unreal Engine as alternatives to Unity for Apple Vision Pro development?

The speaker sees web XR as a viable alternative that is currently working, albeit with some hoops to jump through for optimal setup. As for Unreal Engine, the speaker suggests waiting to see its progress in the next few months but acknowledges its serious approach and financial stability.