Meta is phasing out App Lab next month
The App Lab is history: Starting August 5th, all apps will be migrated to the Quest Store, and new apps will only release there.
Meta announced the change on the Oculus Developer Blog over the weekend:
"Starting August 5, we’re moving all content previously shipped in App Lab to be discoverable on the Meta Horizon Store. This also includes all apps under development, apps under review, and all existing App Lab apps."
Developers can tag apps that are still in development with an "Early Access" badge that will be visible in the Quest Store.
All apps released to the Quest Store on or after August 5th must still meet a set of guidelines, as well as certain baseline requirements called Virtual Reality Checks. However, Meta's strict content curation is now a thing of the past and the Quest Store is now open to all developers.
End of App Lab: a win-win situation for developers and consumers
The App Lab was an alternative store for experimental and in-development apps that opened in February 2021, giving developers a way to reach Quest users outside of the previously tightly curated Quest Store and without sideloading. Previously, App Lab apps had very limited visibility: they were not promoted on the Quest Store and could only be found by typing in the exact name of the app.
In April 2024, Meta announced the end of the App Lab in two phases. In May, Meta completed the first phase, making selected apps discoverable on the Quest Store. The second phase, beginning in August, will migrate the remaining App Lab apps to the Quest Store, and all newly released apps will be released only on the Quest Store, without the strict quality criteria previously in place.
The end of the Apps Lab is good news for developers because it removes artificial barriers between apps and users. Apps will have a better chance of success, which will benefit the ecosystem.
Note: Links to online stores in articles can be so-called affiliate links. If you buy through this link, MIXED receives a commission from the provider. For you the price does not change.
