Angela B. Tech 01.31.2024 22:Jan PM EST

The Apple Vision Pro Will Have Microsoft Productivity Apps at Launch

Apple's VR headset is so close to launch and people are anticipating what they can do with it once it arrives. Since it was advertised as a productivity device, it makes sense that Apple was going to add productivity apps for the device, particularly Microsoft's.

Microsoft Products on the Vision Pro

While the Vision Pro already has several confirmed apps a week before launch, others might be glad to know that Microsoft 365 apps will be accessible for the headset, some of which are even dedicated apps to make them easier to navigate.

By the release on February 2nd, users will be able to use apps like Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Loop. In addition to that, the dedicated apps will have built-in tools that will take advantage of the Vision Pro's functions.

For instance, PowerPoint allows you to deliver your presentation in front of an audience, which other than being in an immersive environment, lets you be present in a meeting wherever you are, as reported by Engadget.

Apple Vision Pro — (Photo : Christoph Dernbach/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Other apps will have interactive features that will make it easier to transfer files, such as Excel's pinch and drag function that lets you transfer documents. As for Word, you can enter focus mode so that you can continuously work with distractions from other apps.

While Vision Pro's PowerPoint app lets you present to an audience, the dedicated Zoom app will make it possible for you to do the same but with an avatar instead, which is made possible by the AR/VR headset's persona feature.

It might be a little difficult to use certain apps given that there are limitations to an AR/VR headset, but you may be able to do more work if you use Microsoft's included AI-powered Copilot service, where you can instruct a virtual assistant to create documents and presentations.

Some Apps Are Still Unavailable

Despite all the additions to the Apple Vision Pro headset, some might still be reluctant to purchase the $3,500 gadget due to the lack of other dedicated apps. Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, for instance, stand firm on not making a dedicated app for the device.

Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters said that they have to be careful as they are making sure that the company is "not investing in places that are not really yielding a return. In this case, the company is uncertain about how many of its subscribers will use the headset for streaming.

However, a dedicated app shouldn't be dismissed too quickly. According to Gizmodo, there's still a chance that Netflix will create a dedicated app in the future, depending on how the Apple Vision Pro fares when it comes to Netflix users.

As for Spotify and YouTube, it's still undisclosed why they choose not to create dedicated apps just yet, but they likely have the same reason as Netflix. With a $3,500 price tag on the headset, it's not exactly a product that the average consumer can afford to buy for the sake of "productivity."