The Apple Vision Pro is out, and what a magnificent beast it is.

Can we use Apple Vision Pro for Work?

The answer is a resounding yes, because in a moment of joy for us all, Apple announced it will launch with a million apps, including 600 dedicated Vision Pro apps, many of which are great for work.

In this overview, we’ll dive into the best Apple Vision Pro apps for work.

Productivity and Collaboration Apps

Of course, we all want to be more productive – especially if it’s meaningful productivity – so the first category we’ll look at is apps for increasing productivity and collaboration. 

These are some of the apps that Vision Pro is launching that can increase employee productivity and improve collaboration.

Microsoft Office Suite for Vision Pro

Before we get to Apple’s productivity suite, let’s focus on Microsoft Office, which many more people use.

Microsoft released updated Excel, Word, and PowerPoint versions for the Apple Vision Pro with eye-controlled UIs for enhanced productivity. 

I know, just that sentence alone is wild: “eye-controlled UIs for enhanced productivity,” but that’s exactly what they launched. 

So, what’s inside the Office Suite for Vision Pro?

Microsoft Excel on Vision Pro

The OG of productivity tools, Microsoft Excel will take static spreadsheets to the 3D world – letting you experience your P&L like you’ve never done before.

Aided by an infinite canvas, you can do all the typical Excel stuff, but this collab really excels (yeah…) in analyzing, manipulating, and visualizing data. 

You can also use the multiple windows you have in front of you to move these visualizations to other documents or Teams chats.  

PowerPoint for Vision Pro

You can use Microsoft PowerPoint on Vision Pro to create and update presentations. One unique feature is the “Immersive Environment” feature, which allows you to practice your presentation as if you were presenting it to an audience.

Word for Vision Pro

Besides Word-ing as usual, you can use Word’s focus mode to block distractions and fully immerse yourself in your document. 

Microsoft Copilot: AI for Vision Pro

Copilot is Microsoft’s already very successful attempt at bringing AI to the workplace. Copilot uses the technology behind ChatGPT to increase productivity and workplace joy. 

The combination of AI and Vision Pro is very interesting, and Microsoft proves that with some of the features that they’ve already launched:

• Copilot allows you to engage more in the meetings you attend and quickly catch up for the ones you don’t, decreasing the time spent on useless meetings.
• Copilot drafts, edits, summarizes and creates documents for you inside Vision Pro, which means a lot less keyboard time – which is good, as the keyboard in Vision Pro is limited.
• Copilot also analyzes and explores data, again getting to things quicker than if you’d manually click and type with the Vision Pro.

How to download Microsoft Office for Apple Vision Pro

To download the Microsoft Office products on your Apple headset, go to the App Store, search for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Teams, and tap “Get.” You then enter your Apple ID and password, download the app, and launch it. 

Apple Productivity Apps for Vision Pro

Also putting the (Vision) Pro in Productivity, Apple has updated all its work apps for the new headset. 

Apple’s Productivity Apps, native versions of Calendar, Mail, Messages, and FaceTime, utilize the immersive capabilities of the Vision Pro.

You can also use Apple's version of Office, like Keynote (Powerpoint) on your headset.

Its most impressive feature is practicing your presentation in a virtual meeting room, or even the Steve Jobs theatre, where Apple does all its big product launches:

Notion

Yes, it's hard to believe, but Notion is making the jump to AR/VR, too!

Expect your full Notion workspace including notes, tasks, wikis, and databases, optimized for Vision Pro.

Fantastical

Fantastical for Vision Pro is a calendar and task app designed to help organize your work schedule in an immersive environment.

The Fantastical team built some interesting new features that only work on the Vision Pro, like looking at your calendar via multiple windows.

For example, you can have a single day on the left, while seeing your entire week on the right.

Utility

Besides meeting, chatting, and creating documents, what else can Vision Pro do that would help us at work? Let's look at a great example of a utility app for the new Apple headset.

Navi

Navi is a live translation service, which puts subtitles onto someone speaking another language.

While many AI Websites offer direct translation in voice, the form factor of the Vision Pro plus being able to hear someone's original voice makes for an interesting use case.

Communication and Meeting Platforms

MS Teams for Apple Vision Pro

One of my 2024 predictions is that technology will create more opportunities for remote work as it recreates the in-person experience online. 

That’s why the strongest application of the Microsoft suite (at least in theory) for tapping the capabilities of the Apple headset, Microsoft Teams lets you meet, chat, call, and collaborate in mixed reality. 

Teams video calls in Apple Vision Pro use the persona feature, which creates a representation of your face, rather than filming you directly (which wouldn’t look great from the inside.) 

Zoom for Vision Pro

Zoom’s Apple Vision Pro app banks on a future where virtual meetings will feel like real ones, already offering immersive meeting experiences from wherever you are.

Later this year, Zoom will further build on the virtual meeting platform of the future by introducing real-world pinning. This lets you “pin” up to five Zoom Meeting participants anywhere in your physical space as if they were truly there.  

Slack for Apple Vision Pro

Slack also announced a Vision Pro app, but only the iPad app is currently available. 

This limits the differentiation between using Slack as you do now and the opportunity of using it in mixed reality.

It sounds like Teams has the scoop here.

See how Slack would like look in your digital workspace:

Design and Creative Tools

Now that we have the boring stuff out of the way, let’s get to where this headset should really shine: creative tools.

Adobe Lightroom

Lightroom for Vision Pro lets you edit photos on a truly big screen. 

It’s been redesigned for the VisionOS, so it’s easier to navigate with hand gestures than the desktop version, which has many more features.

As The Verge concludes, “Its historical focus on creatives coupled with Adobe’s strong embrace of Apple Silicon could make the Vision Pro’s eye-watering $3,500 price tag worth the investment for some creatives.”

Like Zoom, Adobe has dropped hints at what’s still to come. In this case, Panoramas and 360-degree image generation.

However, Adobe has not yet announced whether It will bring other Creative Cloud software like Photoshop and Illustrator to Vision Pro.

Adobe Firefly AI

Firefly is Adobe’s AI, like Dall-E or Midjourney, and already one of the Top 150 AI Tools. 

On the Vision Pro, you can let AI generate images right inside the immersive world in front of you. 

Just like in the online version, you only need to enter a text prompt and hit “generate.” 

And because it’s purpose-built for the Apple headset, you can move Firefly images and place them onto objects in the real world, like desks and walls. 

Note that all content generated on Vision Pro will automatically attach Content Credentials, labeling it as AI.

Streaming and Entertainment for Breaks

If you're done creating AI images or charting your unicorn future in Excel, then you may want to check the weather, informational apps, news, or games:

• Streaming Services: Apple TV, Disney+, Max, Amazon Prime Video, and others offer immersive, relaxing viewing experiences.
• Sports Apps: ESPN, MLB, and others for sports enthusiasts to catch up on games and highlights.
• Short Video and Social Media: TikTok and Juno for YouTube.
• CARROT Weather: Weather updates in 3D.
• Voyager by ForeFlight: An aviation data app for pilots and professionals in the aviation industry.
• Apple Arcade Titles: These include Super Fruit Ninja, Cut the Rope 3, and others, which could serve as team-building activities or creative breaks.
• CNN, Washington Post, and The Guardian: News apps for staying informed on global events and developments.
• Mindfulness by Apple and Endel: Apps for meditation and relaxation, offering spaces for breathing exercises and sonic spaces, which could be beneficial for mental health during work breaks.
• Design Tools: Lowe’s Style Studio and Wayfair Decorify for interior design, showcasing AR's potential in visualizing and customizing spaces.
• Shopping and Services: Uber Eats, Temu, and Zillow Immerse illustrate Vision Pro's versatility in offering unique shopping and house-hunting experiences.

How to download Apple Vision Pro Apps

To download any of these apps on your Apple headset, take these steps while you're inside VisionOS:

1. Go to the App Store
2. Search for your app
3. Tap “Get”

You then enter your Apple ID and password, download the app, and launch it. 

What about Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube?

Well, let's just say you won't see them there, soon.

These three say they're neither planning native apps nor making their existing iPhone or iPad apps compatible.

"YouTube users will be able to use YouTube in Safari on the Vision Pro at launch" – a YouTube spokesperson

You'll only be able to use these platforms on Vision Pro via their websites using Apple's Safari browser.

This may be detracting potential buyers, as per Storyblok research over 80% of people very familiar with the Vision Pro say they're concerned about the lack of these leading entertainment apps.

The Bottom Line: Apple Vision Pro Apps for Work

The list above underscores how we could envision Vision Pro Apps for work – boosting productivity, creativity, and, hopefully, enjoyment.

This app ecosystem caters to most of our needs, while opening up new possibilities for work-life balance and mental wellness through immersive experiences, indicating a significant step forward in the future of work with augmented reality technologies.

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