Overview
With ArborXR's app support, you can build and upload a library of apps (.apk with .obb support included) to the Apps page and remotely install apps to devices. There are no file size restrictions.
💡 Are you using applications from the device's app store? See this help article for more information on using store-downloaded apps with ArborXR.
Hosting & storage
ArborXR offers the ability for customers to connect their own cloud storage bucket to isolate their content (apps & files) from other content on the platform. For more information about configuring and connecting a custom storage bucket, see this article.
Upload Apps
Navigate to Content Library in the side navigation menu.
Click the Add Content button.
Click Managed App.
Enter the title of your app.
Select the Device Compatibility (i.e., whether the app is built for Meta Quest 2, HTC VIVE Focus 3, etc.)
💡If the app is compatible with multiple device types, select all relevant device types from the dropdown menu.
Click the Add App button. You will now be directed to the app's Versions tab.
Upload the app's .apk by clicking Upload Version.
Click Browse or drag & drop the .apk. Upon selecting the .apk, the app icon, version code, and version name will automatically be detected.
💡 If your app includes .obb file(s) you must upload a zipped folder containing the .apk and any corresponding .obb files. For more information about .obb files, see this article.
Enter release notes in the Version Notes input (optional).
Click Upload.
💡You can optionally replace the app icon with a custom image after the fact by clicking on the camera icon.
Version management
ArborXR enforces Android's versioning requirements similar to those of app stores like the Meta Quest Store and the Google Play Store. This ensures that app data is retained between app updates.
⚠️ All new versions of an app must be uploaded to the existing app entry within the Apps page, rather than creating a new app entry for each new version.
For more information about ArborXR's version management functionality, including Android's versioning requirements, see our help article on Version Management.
Release Channels
Once you've uploaded at least one version of an app, a Release Channel will be created by default, pointing to the latest version of the app. The Release Channel is how your app will be deployed to your devices, groups, or shared with other organizations.
💡 Latest in this case refers to the version with the highest versionCode.
To learn more about Release Channels, read here.
Devices, Details & Sharing Tabs
Devices tab: Install apps to device groups or to ungrouped devices.
For more information about device groups, see our articles in the Groups collection.
Details tab: Modify the Title and Description, assign Tags, and Add Platform compatibility.
Title: The title of your app as it will be seen in VR.
Description: The description entered in the Description input is user-facing within VR if leveraging ArborXR Home.
Tags: Tags are a way for the dashboard and ArborXR Home users to filter content. For more information on how you can use this feature, check out our article on Tags.
Add Platform: Add additional types of devices that can run this app. For example, if your app is developed for Quest devices, assign Meta Quest 1, Meta Quest 2, and Meta Quest Pro compatibility.
Sharing tab: Share the app with another organization via the Sharing tab.
For more information about sharing an app, see this help article.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
Can ArborXR download applications from a device’s app store?
Can ArborXR download applications from a device’s app store?
Apps from app stores, such as the Meta Horizon Store or PICO Store, fall under the category of Unmanaged Apps. ArborXR does not have the capability to install applications from these stores on your behalf as the device manufacturers have not provided APIs or integration points in their app stores for Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions like ArborXR.
If you want to use ArborXR to remotely install an app from the app store to your fleet of devices, contact the app developer to find out if they share their app through ArborXR's App Sharing feature. It's easy for developers to get started and they can reach out to [email protected] for a free developer account!
What is the best practice if I have multiple versions for different device types (Meta, PICO, VIVE, etc)?
What is the best practice if I have multiple versions for different device types (Meta, PICO, VIVE, etc)?
For each device type, create a separate app entry for each version, assigning the specific device model Platform Compatibility at the time of the app’s creation, or by adding other related devices (i.e. Quest 2, Quest 3, Quest Pro) under Content Library > Apps > Select your app > Details > Add Platform > Scroll to select or Search by name and select Platform > Save.
In a future release, ArborXR will allow you to configure multiple device types and mixed content to the same Group of devices with our Configurations feature.
I need to remove a Platform / device type from one of my apps. How do I do that?
I need to remove a Platform / device type from one of my apps. How do I do that?
First, ensure the app is removed from any Groups or Ungrouped devices with the Platform/device type you wish to remove, then contact [email protected] to request it be removed, providing the following:
The app name
Platform/device type to be removed
I have multiple versions of my application. Can I install both on my device?
I have multiple versions of my application. Can I install both on my device?
Android does not support installing multiple apps with the same package name. If your team has a production/dev scenario where you need specific devices to have specific builds of your team’s application, see our article on Release Channels.
I’m getting an error when I upload my app.
I’m getting an error when I upload my app.
See this article for the expected Upload Processing Errors on ArborXR and how to troubleshoot them.