Juno YouTube App for Apple Vision Pro Forced to Shut Down
Juno, the popular third-party YouTube app designed for Apple’s Vision Pro, has been removed from the App Store following pressure from Google. Developer Christian Selig announced the shutdown on Tuesday, marking the end of a key app that filled YouTube’s absence on Apple’s spatial computing platform.
Why Juno Mattered for Vision Pro Users
- Provided native YouTube playback in Vision Pro’s immersive environment
- Enabled gesture controls for resizing windows and video scrubbing
- Filled a critical gap in the Vision Pro app ecosystem at launch
- Maintained YouTube’s ad system without blocking content
The Rise and Fall of an Indie Developer’s Project
Created by Selig (best known for the discontinued Apollo Reddit app), Juno launched shortly after Vision Pro’s February 2024 debut. The app served as both a learning project for spatial computing development and a valuable utility for early adopters of Apple’s $3,500 headset.
However, Google took issue with the third-party implementation. According to Selig’s blog post:
- Google contacted both the developer and Apple directly
- Claimed Juno violated YouTube’s guidelines and modified its website
- Cited trademark and iconography concerns in their complaint
- Apple subsequently removed the app from the App Store
Developer Response and Future Plans
Selig maintains that Juno simply presented a “web view” of YouTube with visionOS-optimized modifications that didn’t interfere with ads or core functionality. Despite this, he’s chosen not to contest the removal, describing Juno as a “fun hobby project” rather than a commercial venture.
The developer will now focus on his iOS app Pixel Pals, which originated as a feature in Apollo. Existing Juno users can continue using the app for now, though future YouTube changes may break functionality.
“It’s been genuinely awesome hearing all the kind words from Vision Pro users who have loved the app,” Selig wrote, expressing disappointment about unrealized features planned for Juno.
What This Means for Vision Pro’s Ecosystem
The removal highlights ongoing challenges for Apple’s spatial computing platform:
- Major services like YouTube still lack native Vision Pro apps
- Third-party developers face legal hurdles when filling these gaps
- Early adopters may experience limited app availability
As Vision Pro approaches its first anniversary, the incident raises questions about how Apple will address content gaps while maintaining relationships with major platform holders like Google.
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