Apple Vision Pro Struggles with Developer Adoption as Ecosystem Growth Stalls in 2025

The Apple Vision Pro headset continues to face significant challenges in building a robust app ecosystem in 2025, with development for the premium AR/VR device showing concerning signs of stagnation nearly a year and a half after its initial launch.

According to recent reports, the Vision Pro app store currently hosts only 1,770 applications, with a mere 34% of these being built specifically for the device. Most available apps are simply adapted versions of existing Apple applications with added Vision Pro functionality rather than native experiences designed to showcase the headset's unique capabilities.

This growth rate pales in comparison to Apple's other product launches, with the iPhone amassing 50,000 apps within its first year and the Apple Watch reaching 10,000 apps just five months after launch. The sluggish development pace has been particularly noticeable in recent months, with reports indicating that only a trickle of new apps have been introduced to the platform.

The $3,500 price point remains a significant barrier to widespread adoption, limiting the consumer base and consequently reducing developer interest in creating dedicated applications. Despite these challenges, Apple appears to be working on potential solutions, with rumors of developer funding initiatives being considered to revitalize the platform.

On the positive side, the Vision Pro's hardware continues to receive praise for its technological achievements. The device features dual 4K displays and advanced eye-tracking technology, delivering an impressive visual experience in a relatively lightweight and comfortable design suitable for extended use sessions.

Looking ahead, Apple Intelligence and enhanced Siri functionality are expected to improve the user experience and potentially attract more developers to the platform in 2025. These upgrades could potentially spark growth for the Vision Pro ecosystem, though the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Apple's strategies can successfully stimulate development for what remains a technically impressive but practically limited device.