TikTok Launches Native App for Apple's Vision Pro Headset, Elevating VR Entertainment

Quincy Jon, Tech Times 16 February 2024, 06:02 pm

Apple's Vision Pro headset now supports a native TikTok app, as announced by the short-form video service.

This latest development comes after TikTok's Vision Pro app underwent a comprehensive redesign tailored explicitly for the Apple VR headset. TikTok Product Leader Ahmad Zahran posted on LinkedIn: "I'm really proud of my team for this one. While many app developers have ditched the Apple Vision Pro, my team has redesigned the entire TikTok experience from the ground up!"

What To Expect

The interface is reminiscent of TikTok's traditional iOS or Android apps, featuring a vertically oriented video player with options to like, comment, favorite, and share, per The Verge. Utilizing the increased screen real estate on the Vision Pro, TikTok strategically arranges elements like comments and creator profiles to the right, avoiding obstruction to the main video player.

The Vision Pro enables users to watch TikTok videos while incorporating real-world surroundings or immersing themselves in a fully virtual environment compatible with other apps on the headset.

Stephen Reacham of CNET reviewed TikTok on Vision Pro. While impressed by the features, he remarked, "Tik Tok is pretty, and Bare Bones on the Apple Vision Pro right now is really meant to just be enjoyed."

This week, Apple Arcade has launched spatial games exclusively designed for the Vision Pro headset, offering a seamless fusion of digital content and the physical world.

TikTok, Vision Pro Under Fire

Despite these advancements, both Apple's Vision Pro and TikTok are facing criticism, as previously reported by TechTimes. Some Vision Pro users are returning the $3,500 mixed-reality goggles, citing issues related to comfort, usability, and motion sickness. The White House has urged responsible usage, advising against wearing the headset while driving, even in autopilot mode, as Apple's user guide emphasized.

Concurrently, TikTok and other major tech companies such as Meta, Snap, ByteDance, and Google are entangled in a lawsuit filed by New York City. The complaint alleges that these platforms intentionally designed their applications to induce social media addiction in children, violating laws related to public nuisance and gross negligence.

The legal action has spurred the largest school district in the US to address disruptions both within and outside the classroom. The district is now providing therapy for anxiety and despair while incorporating curricula on the dangers of social media and internet safety. Mayor Eric Adams' office discloses an annual expenditure exceeding $100 million on child mental health services, attributing the crisis to social media's impact.

The lawsuit, filed in the California Superior Court's Los Angeles County branch, accuses the tech giants of deliberately enticing and addicting young users without adequate parental oversight. While acknowledging the benefits of social media, Deputy Mayor Anne Williams-Isom underscores its potential negative impact on children's mental health.

Amid TikTok's controversies, security risks, and a federal service ban, US President Joe Biden's 2024 US presidential campaign embraced the Chinese-owned social media platform. This strategic move targets a diverse American population, particularly the younger demographic transitioning from traditional platforms, leading to the upcoming national elections.