Juno defies Google’s refusal, introducing an unofficial YouTube app for Apple Vision Pro. Developer Christian Selig navigates the challenge, providing users with a refined interface, native controls, and features like resizing, repositioning, and aspect ratio detection. As Vision Pro owners explore YouTube seamlessly, Juno becomes a beacon, overcoming Google’s denial and filling the void left by the absence of an official YouTube app.
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Vision Pro’s YouTube Dilemma
When Apple launched Vision Pro, their spatial computer, it came with a promise of over 600 dedicated apps right from the start. But, there was a catch. Some big names like MLB, Netflix, NFL, Roku, Spotify, The New York Times, and even YouTube were missing. Google’s decision to not make a native YouTube app for Vision Pro added to the frustration. This created a gap that developers could fill, and Christian Selig did just that with the creation of Juno.
Juno: The Unofficial YouTube App for Vision Pro
Juno, which costs $4.99, is now a third-party solution for Vision Pro users. It’s an alternative to the not-so-great experience of using YouTube on Safari. Juno brings a fresh and refined visionOS interface, making it easy for users with native controls for video interaction. Users can make the video bigger, move it around, and even dim their surroundings for a better viewing experience.
This app has a cool feature that detects the shape of the video, so whether it’s super wide or a more regular shape, you can still see it clearly. Juno adds to the user experience by letting them do things like speed up or slow down the video, turn captions on or off, and share videos easily. Even though Juno shows YouTube ads to those who aren’t Premium subscribers, it doesn’t skip them automatically, following YouTube’s rules.
Challenges and Future Possibilities
Christian Selig admits that Juno might not feel exactly like a native app because it’s unofficial. There were some challenges in developing the app, with potential bugs early on due to limited interaction with the Vision Pro simulator. But Selig’s known for engaging with users, and he’s committed to making it even better.
Read Also: Apple’s Vision Pro Launch Countdown Sparks Excitement
With Juno, users can queue up and watch videos, fast forward or rewind, skip, and do other things using simple pinch gestures. The app is built on YouTube’s API, aiming to give a true visionOS UI experience, filling the gap left by Google’s decision not to make a native YouTube app for Vision Pro.
Google’s Stand and Market Trends
Google’s choice not to make a YouTube app for Vision Pro is in line with other big streaming services like Netflix and Spotify. Juno stepping in to fill this gap raises questions about how Google will react to this unofficial solution. Selig has big plans for it, including letting users see YouTube comments, pick video quality, and create more immersive environments. He’s even thinking about adding a feature for watching multiple videos at once.
As Vision Pro users explore what Juno can do, it’s still unclear how this will affect Google’s strategy in the rapidly evolving world of spatial computing. Juno’s success in getting around Google’s refusal shows the resilience of developers and their ability to find creative solutions when there are gaps in the tech world.
Read More: Apple 600+ Vision Pro Apps Available on Launch Day, Says Apple
