Create an OEM App for Smart Living

This topic describes how to create, configure, and launch an OEM app for Smart Living on the Tuya IoT Development Platform.

Create app

1. Go to Tuya IoT Development Platform > App > OEM App > App Creation.

2. Click Create App.

   

3. In the Select OEM App Category dialog box, click Create for the Smart Living category.

   

4. In the dialog box that appears, enter the app information, and carefully read and accept the terms in OEM App Service and Software License Agreement.

   Option	Description	Example
   App Name	The app name will be displayed on the user’s mobile phone home screen. We recommend that you enter a name within 6 characters in Chinese or 12 characters in English.	Smart app
   Package Name for Android Bundle ID for iOS	The unique identifier used for launching apps on app stores. Try to include the organization’s domain name to ensure a unique package name or bundle ID. If the package name or bundle ID already exists on an app store, the app cannot be launched on that app store. Recommend letters and numbers. Three sections are recommended. Each section is separated from the other sections with periods (.) and starts with a letter. The characters such as “tuya” cannot be used. For example, if the Tuya domain name is tuya.com, the package name can be set to com.tuya.smart.	com.testapp.smartiot
   App Schema	Optional. If not specified, the app schema is automatically generated based on the package name or bundle ID. The app schema cannot be modified after it is confirmed. It is mainly used to evoke this app on the mobile phone and is also related to the URL of the QR code to print.	Auto Generated
   Targeted Locations	You must select the countries or regions where your app is available. This setting determines the available configurations and installation packages to be built in subsequent steps. You can click each option to view details. The Global option is described as an example in the following sections.	Global

   

5. Click OK.

Configure app

Customize UI

The custom UI styles determine the logo and appearance of your app.

1. Set App Icon.

   • Only square images in the .png format are supported. Do not upload images with transparent backgrounds. Otherwise, a display error might occur.

   • The dimensions must be 1024 × 1024 pixels.

   • The file size cannot exceed 10 MB.

     

2. Set iOS Splash Screen and Android Splash Screen.

   A splash screen is automatically generated after you upload the logo. You can also upload a preferred page to change the existing one.

   • Only .png files are supported.

   • Upload: You can upload an image with dimensions equal to or higher than 1242 × 2688 pixels. Images of different dimensions can be separately uploaded.

     

3. Set Theme Color.

   Customize the theme colors of your app. These settings apply to the main action buttons and font styles of your app. The Dark Mode tab and Advanced Settings section are currently unavailable. They will be generally available soon. Stay tuned.

   

4. Set Tab Icon.

   Currently, the bottom tab bar of the app includes these tabs from left to right: Home, Scene, Community, Light, and Me. The Community tab can be displayed on the app only after your subscription to the Community service. You can contact Tuya’s account manager to subscribe to it.

   The following figure shows the configuration:

   • Default: preview an active icon.

   • Active: preview an inactive icon. You can customize the font color of an active tab label.

     
   • To try an OEM app with a few simple clicks, click Next: Set Functions after the preceding configurations.
   • You can use the default settings of the basic functions or modify the settings. Then, choose Next: Build App > Complete App Development Configurations, and configure the map capabilities, certificates, privacy policy, and other required agreements. Select the target package type, click Build Now, and then wait until the app is built. Each version can be built up to 10 times a day and up to 30 times a month.

Set functions

Extended Functions: You can choose whether to enable or set the functions.

• About Us: You can enter your official website URL in the format of https://. If the URL does not start with https://, this page cannot be opened on the app. Currently, only the pages in Chinese and English are supported. To navigate to a page in another language, enter the URL in the field for the English language.

• Copyright Information: Enter the copyright information. Only Chinese and English are supported. To view the copyright information on the app, tap Me at the bottom of the page, tap the setting icon in the top right corner of the page, and then tap About.

• User Agreement: Due to the rules of the major app stores, it is enabled by default. After it is enabled, the logged-in user can also view the latest version of the user agreement.

• Scan: You can choose whether to enable this function.

• Bluetooth Mesh: You can choose whether to enable this function. We recommend that you enable this function. If you disable it, the app will not display Bluetooth devices in the list of devices to be paired.

• Light: You can choose whether to enable this function. After it is enabled, the Light tab will appear in the bottom tab bar on the app.

• Support Wi-Fi EZ Pairing: With this function enabled, after a user connects a mobile phone to a router, the router broadcasts packets to communicate and pair with a target smart device.

• Privacy Policy: Due to the rules of the major app stores, it is enabled by default. After it is enabled, the logged-in user can also view the latest version of the user agreement.

Build app

1. In the step of Build App, after you click Build, the system builds each app package or bundle in the sequence of application time. The estimated build time appears on the page. After the app is built, the system pushes the build result to your account of the Tuya IoT Development Platform by email or SMS.

   

2. Select App Stores: For the first time you open this page, select the types of app stores on which the app will be launched.

   

   After you select one or more types of app stores, the platform shows the required configurations to have your app launched on the respective app stores. The all-around pre-launch checklist and personalized guidance are tailored for a specific app. The development process is classified into two types:

   • App for Launch: For this type of development process, the platform evaluates the actual conditions of your app, for example, the target app stores and purchased value-added services. Then, if necessary, the platform guides you to complete unfinished required configurations.

   • App for Test: You can start building the app soon after one or two required configurations are completed for tests.

     

• If the app is built, you can use a mobile phone to scan the QR code to download and install the app for tests. The QR code automatically identifies the mobile phone operating system and supports both Android and iOS.

  Click Get QR Code to download and share the QR code of the test package with other internal users for tests. The QR code is available only within a validity period and only used for testing within your organization.

• In the very rare case that the build fails, an error message is returned to help you troubleshoot the error. You can also submit a ticket to request technical support.

Trial app

The trial app is created and configured on the Tuya IoT Development Platform through the above process. After the app is built, you can scan the QR code for the trial version to download and install the app on your mobile phone.

• The trial app is valid for 30 days from the date of creation. After expiration, the trial app cannot be edited or built and the installed app on the mobile phone cannot be used as expected.
• The installation package of the trial app cannot be used to launch the app on app stores. You must purchase the OEM App service and complete the required configurations before the app can be launched.

Official app

If you have already purchased the OEM App service, ignore this step and launch the app on app stores.

Purchase OEM App service

If your app passes the test, you can launch the app on app stores. If the OEM App service is not purchased, you cannot get the installation package for launching. After the trial app expires, you cannot continue to use the app.

• Click Purchase OEM App and follow the instructions on the page to place an order and complete the payment.

  

• Application Object: Select the app to be purchased.

• Select service: Select the default official edition.

• Tel: Enter the phone number of the contact person.

• Email: Enter the email address of the contact person.

  

  After the information is confirmed, click Buy now. After the review is passed, your account of Tuya IoT Development Platform will receive a notification.

• Payment Information: If your OEM app has been paid offline, provide your order number to Tuya’s account manager who will bind the payment for you.

• Invoice Information: You can choose whether to request an invoice. If you want an invoice, after the service is completed, contact Tuya’s account manager and provide the invoice information to get an invoice.

  

After you select the payment method and complete the payment, you can return to the studio and continue to configure your app.

App overview

After you subscribe to the OEM App service, enter the app overview page from the OEM app list and update the following information as needed.

• Modify App Name: Currently, the name can be set only in Chinese and English. If the name in Simplified Chinese is not specified, the name in English is displayed.

• History Version: If you have created two or more versions of your app, click History Version to view the configuration information of the historical versions.

• Change Template: If the template version of your app is earlier than the latest template on the Tuya IoT Development Platform, you can choose Change Template > Update to select the latest template. The updates take effect only after you rebuild the app. Click View Release Notes to view the functions of the latest template.

  If you want to get notified of the latest template, you can subscribe to App Update notifications from the Subscriptions service.

• Continue: Click here to enter the last configuration page of the latest version.

Launch app

Method 1: Purchase App Launch Service

• When the app test is finished, click Next: Launch App.

  
  After you modify the content in the development step, such as UI and extended functions, you must rebuild the app.

• If you have not purchased the App Launch Service, we recommend that you purchase this service in advance. Because certain required functions of the app depend on third-party platforms, Tuya provides related configuration services for Location, App Certificate, and Push Certificate.

  

• If you have already purchased the App Launch Service, the system will display a prompt, and Tuya’s staff will contact you. You can ignore the steps for launching and Tuya’s staff will complete the follow-up operations.

• To purchase the App Launch Service, go to Value-Added Services > App Service > App Launch and click Subscribe.

  

Method 2: Launch app by yourself

1. After the app test is finished, click Next: Launch App. The system automatically checks the required items. When the app is not fully configured, you will be prompted to configure it. You can click Configure for each item to complete the required configurations.

   
   As long as any configuration is modified, the app must be rebuilt to make the modification take effect. After the configuration is completed, you can rebuild the app. To accelerate the build process, we recommend that you complete all the configurations at once before building.

2. After the app is built, uninstall the previous app version and install the latest version for testing. Check whether the push notifications and map function for Android take effect, and continue to launch the app. Push notifications for iOS can be tested only after the app is launched.

3. You can upload and download the bundle for iOS on the Tuya IoT Development Platform. To pass the strict review of apps for iOS, carefully read the operation manual and launch your app with respect to the specifications.

   

   The installation package for Android supports Android (mainland China) and Google Play-specific packages. Starting in August 2021, new apps will be required to launch with the Android App Bundle on Google Play.

   • By default, the Android (mainland China) package includes the AutoNavi map service. It allows login with WeChat and Tencent QQ accounts and supports push notifications for multiple mobile phone brands.

     

     

   • The Google Play-specific package includes Google Maps and push notification services.

     

4. (Optional) You can submit a ticket to consult and troubleshoot problems when you launch the app.

5. After your app has passed the review, click Confirm Finished Launch at the bottom of the page to confirm that the app has been launched on the app stores.

Required setting

To launch your app, the following functions on the Required Setting page must be finished.

User agreement and privacy policy

Click Add Version. You need to provide the custom content of the privacy policy and service terms.

Tuya provides Template Reference in multiple languages including Chinese, English, German, French, and Japanese. You can download and customize your content. To launch your app, versions in English are required.

Certificate for iOS

If you want to launch your app on Apple’s App Store, you must upload the required certificates. To create a certificate, you must register a developer account first. For more information, see Enroll in Apple Developer Program. If the certificate is not uploaded, the system will not be able to build an installation package or bundle, and the app cannot be launched.

Manually Create and Upload Certificates: For more information, see Create Certificates and Provisioning Profiles for iOS.

Certificate for Android

To launch your app on Android app stores, upload the required certificates. To create a certificate, you must register an Android developer account first and configure the app as required by the app stores. For more information, see the documents of the app stores. If the certificates are not uploaded, the system will not be able to build an installation package, and the app cannot be launched.

• App certificate

  • Signature Protection for Android: App security can be improved after setting. For more information, see Enable Signature Protection for Android.

  • App Signing Certificate: You can apply the certificate to specific services. For example, you must provide the certificate to get the token that enables Login with Amazon (LWA).

• Set the push certificate according to the location of the app user:

  • Google FCM: the certificate information that must be set when you use the Google Push service. For more information, see Register FCM.

  • To send push notifications to users in mainland China, you can use the Tuya push channel.

    To allow users to receive push notifications without the need to open the app, you must set up the branded system-level channel to push certificate information.

Common tools

The following sections describe how to configure the app download URL, add update notifications, and manage the debugging allowlist.

QR code

A QR code can be printed on the outer packaging of the product and can be used properly even if the app is updated later. Make sure that the specified download URL is available. We recommend that you use the URL of the app details page that appears on each app store.

Update notification

You can configure the push notification feature. This way, when your app updates are released, push notifications are sent to app users. The users can determine whether to update the app. For more information, see Configure Update Notification Push.

Manage allowlist for debugging

If your app uses the template v3.20.0 or later, the setting bar will appear. You can add one or more app accounts in mainland China to the allowlist. The allowlisted users can choose Me > Settings > Multilingual Debug Mode on your app, and check the latest updates of UI text. For more information, see What is the debug allowlist?

Multilingual settings

Currently, you can modify all entries in the same task and modify specified entries online.

• Method 1 (batch modification): You can export the spreadsheet of the app UI entries, modify the content in this file, and then upload the edited file.

• Method 2 (individual modification): You can search for the specified entry with UI text and modify it.

  For more information, see App Multilingual Introduction.

Subscribe to template updates

The OEM app can be iterated and updated. After you enable App Update in the OEM App section of Subscriptions, your specified email address will receive notifications of the template updates.

Things to note

• Before you can launch the Smart Living OEM app on app stores by using the App Launch Service, you must first subscribe to this value-added service on the Tuya IoT Development Platform.

• By default, the update of the Smart Living OEM app is a paid service. To use the free service, contact Tuya’s account manager and request coupons for free.

• To enable the app mall for your Smart Living OEM app, you must subscribe to this App Mall service.

• The validity period of the trial app is 30 days. After you purchase the OEM App service, launch the app on app stores at your earliest convenience. According to Apple’s requirements, the validity period of the trial app for iOS is 90 days, starting from the day when the app is built. The trial app for Android does not have this type of limit.

• After the OEM app is launched, users must uninstall the earlier app for test and download the launched app version from app stores to use the official app.

• After the app configurations such as the app name are modified, you must rebuild the app before the modifications can take effect. However, the Bundle ID for iOS, Package Name for Android, and App Schema cannot be modified after the app is created.

• We recommend that you use the Google Chrome browser.