Deploying AR Experiences onto Mobile Devices

This article is an excerpt from the book,  

Figure 4.17 – Unity’s Build Settings configuration for Android 

Next, click on the Player Settings button. This will open a new window, also called Player Settings. Here, select the Android tab, scroll down, and set Minimum API Level to Android 7.0 Nougat (API level 24) or above. This is crucial, as ARCore requires at least Android 7.0 to function properly. 

Remaining in the Android tab of Player Settings, enter a package name. Ensure it follows the pattern com.company_name.application_name. This pattern is a widely adopted convention for naming application packages in Android and is used to ensure unique identification for each application on the Google Play Store. 

Return to File | Build Settings and click the Build and Run button. A new window will pop up, prompting you to create a new folder in your project’s directory. Name this folder Builds. Upon selecting this folder, Unity will construct the scene within the newly created Builds folder. 

This is how you can set up your Android device for deploying AR scenes onto it. In the next section, you will learn how you can deploy your AR scene onto an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad. 

Deploying onto iOS 

Before we delve into the process of deploying an AR scene onto an iOS device, it’s important to discuss certain hardware prerequisites. Regrettably, if you’re using a Windows PC and an iOS device, it’s not as straightforward as deploying an AR scene made in Unity. The reason for this is that Apple, in its characteristic style, requires the use of Xcode, its proprietary development environment, as an intermediary step. This is only available on Mac devices, not Windows or Linux. 

If you don’t possess a Mac, there are still ways to deploy your AR scene onto an iOS device. Here are a few alternatives: 

• Borrowing a Mac: The simplest solution to gain access to Xcode and deploy your app onto an iOS device is to borrow a Mac from a friend or coworker. It’s also worth checking whether local libraries, universities, or co-working spaces offer public access to Macs. For commercial or academic projects, it’s highly recommended to invest in a Mac for testing your AR app on iOS. 
• Using a virtual machine: Another no-cost alternative is to establish a macOS environment on your non-Apple PC. However, Apple neither endorses nor advises this method due to potential legal issues and stability concerns. Therefore, we won’t elaborate further or recommend it. 
• Employing a Unity plugin: Fortunately, a widely used Unity plugin enables deployment of an AR scene onto your iOS device with relatively less hassle. Navigate to Windows | Asset Store, click on Search Online, and Unity Asset Store will open in your default browser. Search for iOS Project Builder for Windows by Pierre-Marie Baty. Though this plugin costs $50, it is a much cheaper alternative than buying a Mac. After purchasing the plugin, import it into your AR scene and configure everything correctly by following the plugin’s documentation (https:// developer.apple.com/xcode/. 
• Enable Developer Mode on your iOS device by going to Settings | Privacy & Security | Developer Mode, activate Developer Mode, and then restart your device. If you don’t find the Developer Mode option, connect your iOS device to a Mac using a cable. Open Xcode, then navigate to Window | Devices and Simulator. If your device isn’t listed in the left pane, ensure you trust the computer on your device by acknowledging the prompt that appears after you connect your device to the Mac. Subsequently, you can enable Developer Mode on your iOS device. 

Having set up your Mac and iOS devices correctly, let’s now proceed with how to deploy your AR scene onto your iOS device. Each time you want to deploy your AR scene onto your iOS device, follow these steps: 

1. Use a USB cable to connect your iOS device to your Mac. 

2. Within your Unity project, navigate to File | Build Settings and select iOS from Platform options. Click the Switch Platform button. 

3. Check the Development Build option in Build Settings for iOS. This enables you to deploy the app for testing purposes onto your iOS device. This step is crucial to avoid the annual subscription cost of an Apple Developer account. 

Note: Deploying apps onto an iOS device with a free Apple Developer account has certain limitations. You can only deploy up to three apps onto your device at once, and they need to be redeployed every 7 days due to the expiration of the free provisioning profile. For industrial or academic purposes, we recommend subscribing to a paid Developer account after thorough testing using the Development Build function. 

4. Remain in File | Build Settings | iOS tab, click on Player Settings, scroll down to Bundle Identifier, and input an identifier in the form of com.company_name.application_name. 

5. Return to File | Build Settings | iOS tab and click Build and Run. In the pop-up window, create a new folder in your project directory named Builds and select it. 

6. Xcode will open with the build, displaying an error message due to the need for a signing certificate. To create this, click on the error message, navigate to the Signing and Capabilities tab, and select the checkbox. In the Team drop-down menu, select New Team, and create a new team consisting solely of yourself. Now, select this newly-created team from the drop-down menu. Ensure that the information in the Bundle Identifier field matches your Unity Project found in Edit | Project Settings | Player. 

7. While in Xcode, click on the Any iOS Device menu and select your specific iOS device as the output. 

8. Click the Play button on the top left of Xcode and wait for a message indicating Build succeeded. Your AR application should now be on your iOS device. However, you won’t be able to open it until you trust the developer (in this case, yourself). Navigate to Settings | General | VPN & Device Management on your iOS device, tap Developer App certificate under your Apple ID, and then tap Trust (Your Apple ID). 

9. On your iOS device’s home screen, click the icon of your AR app. Grant the necessary permissions, such as camera access. Congratulations, you’ve successfully deployed your AR app onto your iOS device! 

You now know how to deploy your AR experiences onto both Android and iOS devices. 

Conclusion

Deploying AR experiences onto mobile devices opens up a world of possibilities, enabling users to engage with your application in innovative ways. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure that your AR applications are compatible with both Android and iOS platforms, maximizing their reach and impact. Whether you’re developing for personal use or planning to distribute your app to a broader audience, having cross-platform compatibility from the start can save time and resources in the long run. With the tools and techniques provided here, you are well on your way to creating and deploying compelling AR experiences that captivate users on any mobile device. 

Looking to dive into the world of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality?
 

Author Bio

Anna Braun is a Unity expert, who is specialized in creating XR applications. At Deutsche Telekom, Anna has developed XR prototypes in Unity. One prototype enabled warehouse workers to find commodities more easily through the use of special location data and Augmented Reality. At Fraunhofer, Anna specialized in Hand-Tracking and worked on a VR education platform. Her master's degree in Extended Reality has a special focus on Eye Tracking, Deep Learning, and Computer Graphics. She is a published author in the tech space and regularly speaks at conferences hosted by academia or non-profits like the Mozilla Foundation. Anna co-founded a company that offers XR consulting and development.

Raffael Rizzo is a XR developer and Unity expert. During his work at Deutsche Telekom, he consulted companies on the use of digital twins and implemented augmented reality wayfinding solutions. At Fraunhofer IGD, Raffael worked on a VR education platform. He developed a VR training program for a soccer academy to test the children's reaction times. For the same academy, Raffael created an application that uses computer vision and machine learning to automatically evaluate ball juggling. His master's degree in Extended Reality encompasses Rendering, Computer Vision, Machine Learning, and 3D Visualization. Raffael co-founded a company specializing in XR consulting and development.