diff --git a/apps/mobile/app.json b/apps/mobile/app.json
index fa2b758..dd6be70 100644
--- a/apps/mobile/app.json
+++ b/apps/mobile/app.json
@@ -7,12 +7,6 @@
     "icon": "./assets/icon.png",
     "scheme": "app.sauci",
     "userInterfaceStyle": "automatic",
-    "newArchEnabled": true,
-    "splash": {
-      "image": "./assets/splash-icon.png",
-      "resizeMode": "contain",
-      "backgroundColor": "#1a1a2e"
-    },
     "ios": {
       "supportsTablet": false,
       "bundleIdentifier": "com.sauci.app",
@@ -223,6 +217,14 @@
     },
     "plugins": [
       "./plugins/withFixHoisting.js",
+      [
+        "expo-splash-screen",
+        {
+          "image": "./assets/splash-icon.png",
+          "resizeMode": "contain",
+          "backgroundColor": "#1a1a2e"
+        }
+      ],
       "@react-native-firebase/app",
       [
         "expo-build-properties",
@@ -320,7 +322,10 @@
         "origin": false
       },
       "eas": {
-        "projectId": "807ca0af-e9bd-40e8-a658-f3382072c724"
+        "projectId": "807ca0af-e9bd-40e8-a658-f3382072c724",
+        "observe": {
+          "endpointUrl": "https://ota.apps.jbrunton.co.uk/observe/9a66f3c2-fda7-416f-87e2-6db833b32e9d"
+        }
       }
     },
     "owner": "jjbrunton-apps"
diff --git a/apps/mobile/app/_layout.tsx b/apps/mobile/app/_layout.tsx
index 0e4efe1..fa47adc 100755
--- a/apps/mobile/app/_layout.tsx
+++ b/apps/mobile/app/_layout.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ import "../src/polyfills/web";
 import { initCrashlytics, setUserContext, clearUserContext } from "../src/lib/crashlytics";
 initCrashlytics();
 
+// Install the Observe global JS error handler after Crashlytics so it wraps
+// (and always calls) whatever handler is already registered.
+import { installObserveGlobalErrorHandler, logAppStarted } from "../src/lib/observe";
+installObserveGlobalErrorHandler();
+
 // Analytics imports (initialization deferred until app mounts)
 import { initAnalytics, setUserId, clearUserId, logScreenView, Events } from "../src/lib/analytics";
 
@@ -73,6 +78,7 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
             analyticsInitialized.current = true;
             initAnalytics();
             Events.appOpened("cold");
+            logAppStarted();
         }
     }, []);
 
@@ -115,15 +121,15 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
         // Fetch user on mount
         fetchUser();
 
-        // Handle initial URL if app was opened via deep link
-        const handleDeepLink = async (url: string | null) => {
-            if (!url) return;
+        // Handle initial URL if app was opened via deep link
+        const handleDeepLink = async (url: string | null) => {
+            if (!url) return;
 
             // Invite links (https://sauci.app/join/{code} or app.sauci://join?code={code})
             // are handled separately from the Supabase auth deep link flow below.
-            const inviteLink = parseInviteLinkCode(url);
-            if (inviteLink) {
-                Events.inviteLinkOpened(inviteLink.source);
+            const inviteLink = parseInviteLinkCode(url);
+            if (inviteLink) {
+                Events.inviteLinkOpened(inviteLink.source);
                 await stashPendingInviteCode(inviteLink.code);
 
                 const { isAuthenticated, user } = useAuthStore.getState();
@@ -200,15 +206,15 @@ export default function RootLayout() {
             }
         };
 
-        // Get initial URL
-        Linking.getInitialURL().then((url) => {
-            handleDeepLink(url);
-        });
+        // Get initial URL
+        Linking.getInitialURL().then((url) => {
+            handleDeepLink(url);
+        });
 
-        // Listen for new deep links while app is open
-        const linkingSubscription = Linking.addEventListener("url", (event) => {
-            handleDeepLink(event.url);
-        });
+        // Listen for new deep links while app is open
+        const linkingSubscription = Linking.addEventListener("url", (event) => {
+            handleDeepLink(event.url);
+        });
 
         // Set up push notification response listener (for taps while app is running)
         const notificationSubscription = setupNotificationResponseListener();
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/__tests__/lib/observe.test.ts b/apps/mobile/src/__tests__/lib/observe.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80db114
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/__tests__/lib/observe.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+jest.mock('expo-observe', () => ({
+    Observe: {
+        logEvent: jest.fn(),
+    },
+}));
+
+// eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
+const { Observe } = require('expo-observe');
+const logEventMock = Observe.logEvent as jest.Mock;
+
+type ErrorHandler = (error: unknown, isFatal: boolean) => void;
+
+function withFreshObserveModule<T>(run: (mod: typeof import('@/lib/observe')) => T): T {
+    let result!: T;
+    jest.isolateModules(() => {
+        // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-var-requires
+        const mod = require('@/lib/observe') as typeof import('@/lib/observe');
+        result = run(mod);
+    });
+    return result;
+}
+
+function installFakeErrorUtils(previousHandler: jest.Mock) {
+    let installedHandler: ErrorHandler = () => undefined;
+    const globalWithErrorUtils = global as unknown as {
+        ErrorUtils: { getGlobalHandler: () => unknown; setGlobalHandler: (fn: unknown) => void };
+    };
+    globalWithErrorUtils.ErrorUtils = {
+        getGlobalHandler: () => previousHandler,
+        setGlobalHandler: (fn) => {
+            installedHandler = fn as ErrorHandler;
+        },
+    };
+    return () => installedHandler;
+}
+
+describe('observe', () => {
+    afterEach(() => {
+        jest.clearAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    it('logs app_started only once per module instance', () => {
+        withFreshObserveModule(({ logAppStarted }) => {
+            logAppStarted();
+            logAppStarted();
+        });
+
+        expect(logEventMock).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        expect(logEventMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('app_started');
+    });
+
+    it('does not throw when Observe.logEvent fails', () => {
+        logEventMock.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+            throw new Error('native module unavailable');
+        });
+
+        withFreshObserveModule(({ logAppStarted }) => {
+            expect(() => logAppStarted()).not.toThrow();
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('wraps the previous ErrorUtils handler, logging xprem_js_crash and delegating', () => {
+        const previousHandler = jest.fn();
+        const getInstalledHandler = installFakeErrorUtils(previousHandler);
+
+        withFreshObserveModule(({ installObserveGlobalErrorHandler }) => {
+            installObserveGlobalErrorHandler();
+        });
+
+        const error = new Error('boom');
+        getInstalledHandler()(error, true);
+
+        expect(logEventMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            'xprem_js_crash',
+            expect.objectContaining({
+                severity: 'fatal',
+                body: 'boom',
+                attributes: { isFatal: true },
+            })
+        );
+        expect(previousHandler).toHaveBeenCalledWith(error, true);
+    });
+
+    it('still calls the previous handler when Observe.logEvent throws', () => {
+        const previousHandler = jest.fn();
+        const getInstalledHandler = installFakeErrorUtils(previousHandler);
+        logEventMock.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+            throw new Error('native module unavailable');
+        });
+
+        withFreshObserveModule(({ installObserveGlobalErrorHandler }) => {
+            installObserveGlobalErrorHandler();
+        });
+
+        getInstalledHandler()(new Error('boom'), false);
+
+        expect(previousHandler).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.any(Error), false);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/apps/mobile/src/lib/observe.ts b/apps/mobile/src/lib/observe.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf4389c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/mobile/src/lib/observe.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+// EAS Observe wrapper. Keeps expo-observe usage in one place and fails soft
+// so a metrics problem never blocks app startup or crash reporting.
+import { Observe } from "expo-observe";
+
+type ErrorHandler = (error: unknown, isFatal: boolean) => void;
+
+interface GlobalWithErrorUtils {
+  ErrorUtils?: {
+    getGlobalHandler(): ErrorHandler;
+    setGlobalHandler(handler: ErrorHandler): void;
+  };
+}
+
+let appStartedLogged = false;
+
+/**
+ * Logs the `app_started` custom event once per process lifetime. Safe to call
+ * more than once; only the first call has an effect.
+ */
+export function logAppStarted() {
+  if (appStartedLogged) return;
+  appStartedLogged = true;
+
+  try {
+    Observe.logEvent("app_started");
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.warn("[Observe] Failed to log app_started:", error);
+  }
+}
+
+let globalErrorHandlerInstalled = false;
+
+/**
+ * Installs a global fatal JS error handler that records an `xprem_js_crash`
+ * Observe event and then always delegates to whatever handler was previously
+ * registered (RN's default redbox handler, or another handler such as
+ * Crashlytics's, if one is installed first). Existing crash reporting is
+ * never replaced, only observed.
+ */
+export function installObserveGlobalErrorHandler() {
+  if (globalErrorHandlerInstalled) return;
+
+  const errorUtils = (global as GlobalWithErrorUtils).ErrorUtils;
+  if (!errorUtils) {
+    console.warn("[Observe] ErrorUtils is unavailable; xprem_js_crash will not be recorded.");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  globalErrorHandlerInstalled = true;
+  const previousHandler = errorUtils.getGlobalHandler();
+
+  errorUtils.setGlobalHandler((error, isFatal) => {
+    try {
+      const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      Observe.logEvent("xprem_js_crash", {
+        severity: "fatal",
+        body: message,
+        attributes: { isFatal: Boolean(isFatal) },
+      });
+    } catch (observeError) {
+      console.warn("[Observe] Failed to log xprem_js_crash:", observeError);
+    }
+
+    previousHandler(error, isFatal);
+  });
+}