The YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro is finally in the works

The much-anticipated Apple Vision Pro has been out in the US for a few days now with much enthusiasm. At launch, the new device and platform came with 600 apps native to the new visionOS with another million apps ported over from iOS and iPadOS. However, some pretty big players are notably missing from the Apple Vision Pro, namely YouTube and all Google apps.

Last month, prior to the Apple Vision Pro’s release, YouTube stated that it would not be making an app for the visionOS immediately. On top of that, its iPad app would not be able to be ported over to the Vision Pro, a decision that Netflix and Spotify also chose to take. While these services can still be used in web through Safari, the controls are much clunkier, and key features (such as downloading content to watch offline) are unavailable.

However, in a recent statement to The Verge, YouTube spokesperson Jessica Gibby 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.”

The timeline for this roadmap is currently unclear, so we’re not sure how long users will have to wait for the YouTube app to come to the Apple Vision Pro. However, the wording suggests that YouTube is developing a native app compatible with the visionOS, which will ensure a richer experience compared to simply porting over its iPad app.

What caused this sudden change? Probably the existence of Juno, a visionOS app created by Christian Selig, a former Apple developer, available since day one. Juno allows Vision Pro users to browse YouTube in a UI that’s much more friendly for the device and is easier to navigate than YouTube on Safari.

Until the official YouTube for Apple Vision Pro app is released, users can download Juno in the meantime.

(Images: Apple)