Mobile SDK 1.0 will be required for Gear VR apps

We released version 1.0 of the Mobile SDK for Gear VR in November. The release of 1.0 marked the transition from an experimental interface to a more mature, stable API focused on maximum performance.

Mobile SDK 1.0 also includes a critical improvement overprevious versions: it separates most of the core VR functionality from the client application. This means we can deliver system-wide updates and features without requiring you to update your app. As a result, applications built against 1.0 are significantly more future-proof than those built against earlier versions.

For these reasons, we’ve decided to start requiring Mobile SDK 1.0 or higher for all new updates and store submissions.

In addition, we strongly recommend that developers already shipping on the Oculus Store submit updates that bring their applications up to 1.0 as soon as possible. Though old SDK versions should continue to work for the time being, they are unsupported in future Android updates. This means that applications may break in the future, which could require us to take down an application until an update can be provided.

In addition to future-proofing your application, moving to SDK 1.0 can result in performance and stability improvements. Updating to version 1.0 of the Mobile SDK is easy: in many cases, it’s a drop in replacement that requires no new code.

If you have questions about updating to Mobile SDK 1.0, please reach out via our dedicated forum⁠.

Thanks for your help making the launch of Gear VR a success. We have a lot planned for the Mobile SDK in 2016, and we’re looking forward to seeing the new VR experiences you create.

— The Oculus team