You've dug out your old Samsung phone after finding a Gear VR hidden away in a long forgotten cupboard. You've got a bunch of APKs you want to try out (backups of course - we're not here to judge) and you're all ready to go. But there's a problem.
The applications you've installed aren't showing up in Oculus Home, or if they are, you're faced with an error message on launch - "Thread priority security exception. Make sure the APK is signed." What now?
If the application isn't showing in Oculus Home, it's because the core software doesn't think you own it.*
If you're getting the "Thread priority" error message, this can be for a few different reasons:
1. The app does not contain any Oculus signature (OSIG) files.
2. The app contains Oculus signature files, but not for your specific device.
3. The app contains an Oculus signature file for your specific device, but it is invalid, which happens when you rename an OSIGfor example
(Thanks to Headjack.io for this brief summary)
* Editors Note: This seems to be the reason from our experimentation. If this is not the case, and you know why it happens, please let us know.
All is not lost! Both of these issues can be solved by activating Developer Mode on your device.
Step 1: Open up device settings and go to the Apps section.
Step 2: Find "Gear VR Service" and click on it
Step 3: Click on Storage
Step 4: Click on Manage Storage
Step 5: Click on "VR Service Version" six times
The Developer options menu will now appear.
If you can't see the Gear VR Service in the app list, you might need to click on the three dots in the top right and select Show System Apps
Developer Mode is optional. It will activate the Gear VR Services without requiring the phone to be in the actual Gear VR. This means you can launch an app and it will run without the Gear VR itself.
Add icon to app list - This is the first one you want switched on. It will add Gear VR Service as an additional icon to your Home Menu. From here you can directly launch any installed Gear VR APK, regardless of where they came from.
You can also use this link to change the Developer Options without having to dig back through Settings -> Apps. (Just tap on More in the top right corner).
Allow VR API without OSIG - This is the second one you want switched on. It essentially disables the Gear VR copy protection, allowing you to run applications regardless of where the APK was sourced.
Mirroring mode - Exactly what it sounds like. This allows you to use all of your phone as normal, while inside the Gear VR, resulting in a giant phone screen floating in front of you.
Editors Note: Mirroring mode didn't work on our test S7, S8 or S8+
It did work on our S10 (Android 11) and Note 9.
Extra tip: Hold down on any title and it will take you to app information page. This is the fastest and easiest way to Uninstall an app.
And that's it! Now you can enjoy all your APKs. *tips tricorne hat *
