Apple wants developers to forget about the utility of owning an Intel-based Mac if they ever want to make visionOS apps for the Vision Pro. The company has provided a disclaimer that they will need a machine featuring an M1, M2, M3, or their more powerful SoC variants to make apps for the mixed-reality platform.
Shortly after announcing the Apple Vision Pro’s availability, Xcode 15.2 was released, making it easier for developers to submit their visionOS apps
While Xcode 15.2 runs on Intel Macs, Apple’s visionOS SDK (Software Development Kit) requires a Mac running the aforementioned chipsets. Remember that the M1 was announced in 2020, so developers who have their apps listed on the App Store would likely have upgraded to the newer version, which is three years old at this point. Also, right after an announcement was made that the Apple Vision Pro would launch on February 2, 9to5Mac reports that Xcode 15.2 went live for developers.
Though Apple has not provided a reason for introducing a limitation for visionOS developers, Intel-powered Macs could have displayed performance and compatibility issues when running the SDK, so Apple decided to bring this change. The rest of the details provided below were from the company’s guidelines.
“Developing for visionOS requires a Mac with Apple silicon. Create new apps using SwiftUI to take full advantage of the spectrum of immersion available in visionOS. If you have an existing iPad or iPhone app, add the visionOS destination to your app’s target to gain access to the standard system appearance, and add platform-specific features to create a compelling experience. To provide continuous access to your content in the meantime, deliver a compatible version of your app that runs in visionOS.”
It is also possible that Apple chose to deliberately introduce an SDK limitation to push more Mac sales. Currently, the company’s entire Mac family consists of an Apple Silicon, with the Mac Pro being the last member to transition to a custom solution. Regardless, it is Apple’s platform, and whether developers like it or not, to use the visionOS SDK, they will have to use an Apple Silicon Mac.
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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