When Apple phased out the 360 video viewing feature from Safari, it posed a significant challenge for those of us dedicated to providing immersive experiences through ThirdLaw products. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I took it upon myself to bridge this gap with a solution: PlatePros, a SwiftUI/RealityKit iOS app designed from the ground up to enrich the way we engage with 360 video plates.

Developing PlatePros wasn't just about crafting another app; it was about reimagining the experience of viewing 360 videos on iOS devices. The journey involved not only leveraging the latest in SwiftUI and RealityKit technologies but also creatively overcoming obstacles presented by external APIs. The primary challenge was the limitations of the Venmo API, which our library relied on for daily video previews. Its restrictions on data retrieval resulted in sluggish start-up times, affecting the overall user experience.

My solution was to architect a backend system that could efficiently pull and cache the necessary data, allowing for the retrieval of larger data chunks at once. This significant improvement cut down the app's start-up times drastically, making the viewing experience smooth and enjoyable. Now, with PlatePros, users can explore and interact with 360 video plates freely, gaining a comprehensive understanding of their potential purchases.

Currently available on TestFlight and with an Apple Store release on the horizon, PlatePros VFX Plate Library stands as a testament to innovation and user-focused development. It's not just an app; it's a step forward in how we experience video content, offering glimpses of even more exciting possibilities, especially with the upcoming launch of Apple Vision Pro.

Imagine the future where you can preview 360 videos from the actual perspective of being inside a car or another immersive environment. PlatePros is at the forefront, ready to embrace and enhance these experiences for users worldwide.