If you want to fully immerse yourself in the VR world, you need to learn more about the best virtual reality apps for iPhone that allow you to see cyberspace in 360 degrees, whether you have a headset or not. These apps enable you to go sightseeing, visit exhibitions and attend music events in the safety of your home. Besides, such applications make your gaming experience more immersive.
Top 9 Virtual Reality Apps for iPhone
- Google Expeditions - VR tours for education and leisure
- Allumette - A VR film inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale
- Google Cardboard - Affordable VR headset
- Within VR - Amazing video library
- YouTube - 3D interface of every clip
- Bookful - Augmented reality books
- Inception - 360-degree and VR content
- Fulldive VR - User-generated VR content
- Mobile VR Station - For streaming and downloading 3D content
Apple fans might be surprised when they learn just how many VR applications are available in the App Store. However, most of them might be rather disappointing. This is why I decided to help you narrow down your choice and compiled a list of the 9 best virtual reality apps for iPhone for people of all ages. Most of them can be installed on any iPhone, however, some of them run without any lags only on the recent models.
1. Google Expeditions – Our Choice
- Free to use
- Hundreds of VR travels
- Discover the world without leaving your house
- Handy tips
- Impossible to walk down streets
Verdict: Google Expeditions is one of the best virtual reality apps for those who are curious about new technologies and want to learn more about the world around them. You no longer need to set off on a perilous journey to see Everest and make a selfie, as this trip, just like many others, is available in this application.
By using the Expeditions app, you can take a VR tour to see historical landmarks, from Teotihuacan to the Great Wall of China. This app is also perfect for educators, as it allows them to show their students VR lessons on ecology, biology, anatomy and many other subjects. You don’t need to have a 360 camera to take 360-degree tours. While some people might argue that Expeditions still don’t offer users the most immersive experience, this app makes educational activities more engaging and helps kids learn new things in a funny and easy way.
2. Allumette
- Can be used for free
- Easy-to-navigate app
- Amazing animation
- Limited use
Verdict: Allumette is a completely free app that allows you to watch an amazing VR movie inspired by “The Little Match Girl” by Hans Christian Andersen. You will enjoy a story about a young girl living in an unusual town in the clouds. As it’s quite similar to a game, you can explore this fantastic world and wander down the streets. While all the characters remain silent, they can easily convey their feelings and emotions by gesturing or making small noises.
Many similar stories based on fairy tales last up to 10 minutes, but you can freely explore the world of Allumette for 20 minutes. Unlike other VR apps for iPhone, Allumette is similar to a VR movie and modern video games.
3. Google Cardboard
- Can be purchased from different vendors
- Easy to install
- Simple-to-customize
- Affordable
- A limited choice of content, poor resolution
Verdict: The Google Cardboard app is perfect for those who have already purchased a headset and want to know how to use it properly. It allows you to take 5 VR tours to see what virtual reality is about.
As you can find the design of the headset on Google’s website, you can make it by yourself or purchase a ready-made Cardboard from various vendors. The Explorer mode lets you take a tour in a virtual location. Exhibit is perfect for those who want to visit a VR museum, while Urban Hike was created for those who enjoy exploring cities all around the world. If you are looking for a truly amazing experience, you can set off on an Arctic Journey to see the Northern lights.
While you can visit Paris to see the Eiffel Tower or go to other cities, most users prefer exploring imaginary locations as they are more interesting.
4. Within VR
- No distracting ads
- Free of charge
- 360-degree mode for smartphones
- Perfect for streaming and downloading videos
- High-speed connection for HD content
Verdict: Within VR is a great app for everyone who has ever dreamed of traveling to other countries. It regularly updates, so you can visit new locations as soon as they get available. Among the most popular recent tours are Tokyo Light Odyssey that lets you enjoy beautiful cityscape, Dolphin Man that invites you to visit undersea locations, Asteroids created by the director of Madagascar, and Look But With Love that allows you to discover Pakistan’s land of Sindh.
If you are a music fan, you can watch a U2 concert in 360 degrees. Eco-activists can learn more about Amazonian deforestation and other pressing climate issues. What makes it stand out among other iOS VR apps is the variety of content that you can explore. A number of organizations have partnered with this application, including leading newspapers, famous brands like Sony and Samsung, powerful studios like Universal and NBC.
5. YouTube
- Simple-to-use UI
- Cross-platform
- Allows changing the angle
- Adjustable sound
- Limited parental control features
Verdict: Some users are still unaware that YouTube has a special VR mode that lets you enjoy 360-degree clips or watch regular videos on a VR screen. Those who play games on a PlayStation might already know about the latter option. While the experience might be quite unusual, you will quickly get tired from watching a video that seems too wobbly to be enjoyable.
Even if you don’t like watching YouTube content on a VR screen, you can still explore Virtual Reality Channel to watch clips about skydiving, river kayaking or driving expensive cars. While there are plenty of low-quality videos, you can always subscribe to some decent channels.
6. Bookful
- Stunning animations
- Can be accessed from various platforms
- Quick installation
- Simple-to-configure
- Unimpressive library
Verdict: Among various virtual reality apps iPhone users sometimes fail to quickly find the one that will be useful and enjoyable at the same time. Bookful is a great app for avid fans of reading. With it, you can read 3D books, which makes this app a great option for children and adults who like engaging stories. You can zoom on any page to see everything clearly or easily turn a page to see the next one. There are plenty of augmented reality (AR) games, so you can play golf on Mars without leaving your room.
While Bookful wasn’t created only for kids, children’s books are the most interesting ones. Kids will enjoy reading familiar tales, such as Jack and The Beanstalk, enhanced with the help of AR elements. All in all, it’s a nice app for parents who want to help their children discover the pleasure of reading.
7. Inception: VR & 360 Videos
- Free to use
- Allows sharing content
- Weekly updates
- Limited available content
Verdict: The Inception developers wanted to offer users a collection of VR experiences, however, the in-built library is still rather small. Despite that, there are plenty of amazing videos to watch. For instance, you can watch a stunning VR clip with Mac Demarco’s music and images created by Rachel Rossin. If you are a fan of famous paintings, make sure to visit a 360-degree art exhibition the Dreams of Dali. Besides, Inception features the Asteroids adventure, which is also available in other iPhone VR apps. This option is perfect for those who want to listen to songs by their favorite artists, visit art galleries and walk down the streets of the most beautiful cities.
If you are a fan of Playboy, you will appreciate the fact that the app lets you explore Hugh Hefner’s Mansion in a VR mode. As for art exhibitions, the quality of some tours might seem pretty low, but you can still learn more about the works of famous artists.
8. Fulldive VR - Virtual Reality
- VR camera
- 2D/3D Player
- More than 1 million clips
- Free printable controller
- Content isn’t moderated
Verdict: Fulldive VR is a successful attempt to create a social virtual reality platform for everyone. Just like in some other VR video apps for iPhone, you can create and upload your clips to share them with other users. The app has an integrated library of 360-degree videos.
To watch your videos, you can use a special VR video player. It’s also fairly easy to watch your photos or browse the Web without leaving the app. Some users who have already tried doing this when using a PlayStation, know that it’s a great way to quickly find high-quality VR videos.
9. Mobile VR Station
- Supports all headsets
- 3D content
- Simple to configure
- 360-degree / spherical movies
- A free version allows playing videos for 5 minutes
Verdict: This app can be used as a VR media player that will be perfect for those who want to experience VR with head tracking. Mobile VR Station makes it easy to see your photos, video clips and other files on a floating VR screen. With it, you can watch 2D and 3D content side by side or in an Over-Under mode. The only downside is that this application can’t open DRM-protected content.
If you are wondering how to transfer VR videos to iPhone, with this app, you can easily download them on your device. Another advantage is that you can customize all the features to your liking. Besides, you will appreciate the high playback quality. You can select custom settings for every user and VR headset.
The app supports multiple languages. To play music, you need to adjust settings.
This VR media player comes with an impressive set of specifications, supports various profiles and allows you to watch videos on different devices, including VR adapters.
