Understanding Spatial Design of Vision Pro
If you want to design apps and games for VisionOS, you must start by understanding the fundamental design characteristics. Once you comprehend them, make your design decisions to create a truly immersive experience for users.
Space
Immersion
Passthrough
Spatial Audio
Design Principles of Visio Pro Spatial UI
App Icons
Materials
When designing windows, the choice of materials is key. Glass windows set the foundation, while darker or lighter materials can be strategically employed to guide attention and enhance contrast. Apple advises against stacking lighter materials on top of each other to maintain legibility.
Typography
Vibrancy
Layout and Ergonomics
Size
Moving From Screen to Spatial?
- Windows has an opaque material that forms the canvas for all elements.
- Tab bars are placed vertically on the left side for easy access.
- Ornaments are strategically placed slightly in front of the window, utilizing depth to create a hierarchy. They offer persistent controls that are easily accessible.
- Menus and popovers can expand outside the window, centered by default, for an intuitive user experience.
- Sheets, presented as modal views, appear at the center of the app, preventing interactions with the parent view until dismissed.
Some Suggestions for Designers
Find a Balance in the Range of Immersion
Use Windows for UI-centric Experiences
Keep Comfort a Top Priority
- Display content within the user’s field of view, aligning it with their head to avoid unnecessary head movements.
- Avoid jarring motion, excessively fast transitions, or missing a stable frame of reference.
- Support indirect gestures that allow users to interact with the app with their hands at rest.
- If direct gestures are supported, ensure the interactive content is within a reasonable distance.
Take Away
FAQs About App Development
Crafting and bringing a Vision Pro app to life can often feel like a daunting endeavor. However, with our wealth of knowledge and seasoned expertise, we’re equipped to address all your questions and navigate you through the app creation journey with unparalleled smoothness and simplicity.
Can you help me create a prototype or MVP for Vision Pro?
Yes. We regularly build proof-of-concept apps and MVPs to help clients validate ideas, secure funding, or pitch to internal stakeholders.
Do you support 3D medical visualization or healthcare apps on Vision Pro?
Absolutely. We've built medical-grade prototypes, including brain scan visualization tools, and can tailor AR/VR development for healthcare use cases.
Do I need special hardware to test Vision Pro apps?
For initial development, we use Apple’s visionOS simulator. However, full testing requires access to the Vision Pro device, which we support internally.
Can you port an existing Unity app to Vision Pro?
Yes. We can migrate existing Unity projects to visionOS using Unity PolySpatial and Apple's APIs, while optimizing for performance and UI/UX standards.
Will my Vision Pro app work with other Apple devices?
Some components can extend to iPad or iPhone, but immersive spatial features are exclusive to Vision Pro. We can advise on cross-device strategy as part of your AR/VR development roadmap.
Do you support mixed reality and passthrough experiences?
Yes. Our AR/VR development team specializes in Quest’s MR capabilities using color passthrough, depth APIs, and environment blending.
Can you build multiplayer or networked Quest experiences?
Absolutely. We can integrate Photon, Normcore, or custom networking stacks to enable social, collaborative, or multiplayer AR/VR apps.
What’s the difference between Quest 2, 3, and Quest Pro for development?
While all support core features, Quest 3 and Pro offer better passthrough, depth sensing, and hand tracking. We help tailor AR/VR development to the hardware's strengths.
Do you support hand tracking or controller-free interactions on Meta Quest?
Yes, we implement Quest’s hand tracking APIs for natural gesture-based input, ideal for immersive experiences and accessibility.
Can you build a Unity or Unreal project for Quest?
Yes. We primarily use Unity for Meta Quest apps but can also develop in Unreal depending on the visual or technical requirements.
Can you build both AR and VR experiences?
Yes. Our team handles the full spectrum—from mobile AR on iOS/Android to fully immersive VR for headsets like Quest and Vision Pro.
Do you create custom shaders, effects, or interaction systems?
Yes. We frequently develop custom graphics pipelines, shaders, and input systems to create high-fidelity AR/VR experiences.
Can you help with ideation and product strategy for AR/VR?
Definitely. Many of our clients engage us early to help shape the product vision, build prototypes, and outline a go-to-market plan.
Do you provide post-launch support or feature updates?
Yes. We offer ongoing support, feature expansions, and performance optimizations after your AR/VR app is live.
Can you integrate AI, machine learning, or computer vision into AR/VR apps?
Yes. We’ve integrated AI-based assistants, object tracking, and spatial awareness features into AR/VR projects for smarter interactions.