For my first ever Android app, I plan to promote my beta test to production. After googling extensively to learn what happens after that, I'm still unsure about some scenarios. Set out below is what I believe may be the case, based on documentation and posts I've seen - would appreciate your comment on its accuracy or otherwise.
I promote my current open beta to production with a higher version number than the beta (keeping the same app id).
Google stops accepting new beta users.
Google asks each existing beta user if they would like to continue in beta or move to production.
Users who elect to continue in beta, and have selected manual app updates, remain in beta until they accept a version update (at which time they do not need to uninstall their beta; they become production users) or they leave the beta program voluntarily or I terminate the beta program.
Users who elect to move to production and are running the current (i.e. not an earlier) beta version will now be regarded as production users eligible for future production upgrades; they will continue running the version they have, since it is the same as the production version.
Users who elect to move to production but are running an earlier beta version will need to uninstall their beta version and download the production version from the Play Store.
When a user who had elected to remain in beta finally terminates their beta, or when I terminate the beta program, they need to uninstall their beta and then download the production version from the Play Store.
Background: My app has an onboard database and I need to know in what scenarios the beta user loses their database because of having to uninstall.
Related
So let's say my current versions are following:
Production versionCode=1
Beta versionCode=2
Everything OK as long as the beta is the latest code.
What happens if I update new build (version 3) on Production?
Production versionCode=3
Beta versionCode=2
My questions is what happens to the beta testers who have installed versionCode=2? Will they get version 3 update? Or do they have to opt-out of beta test to see the version 3 update?
The beta will be superseded by production.
To be available to testers, alpha and beta APKs need to have a higher version code than production APKs.
More information can be found here: Look under Step 5 at "Version codes and testing track statuses"
Play Console Help
Fallback terms and statuses
Shadowed: One app bundle shadows another app bundle when it serves part or all of the same device configuration and it has a higher version code.
Promoted: All of the track's active app bundles are contained in the fallback track's active app bundles (for example, all of the active beta app bundles are also active in production). You may see this if you first release to a testing track and then release the tested app bundles to a more stable release.
Superseded: All of the active app bundles in a track is completely shadowed by active app bundles with higher version codes in its fallback track. None of the app bundles in the track are being used to serve users, as they all will be served by and app bundle from the fallback track. This means the testing program represented by the superseded track was abandoned.
Partially shadowed: At least one of the active app bundles in a track is shadowed by an app bundle with a higher version code in its fallback track. This means that some of the beta users will be served an app bundle from the beta track, while others may be served by an app bundle from production. This is most likely an error in assigning version codes.
We recently decided to update our new application for Beta release on google play,
Now after reading the guide, there were some questions that I had in my mind and wanted to know more about them, I googled for further understanding found some answers but there are still somethings that I wasn't sure about so decided to put this question up:
For Beta releases is it possible to make a beta release that is available to all the google play users(as a normal production app) or will it be available to all?
(Since as per this guide it gives me an idea that the application will only be available to a set amount of users.)
Make sure users can join the tests. Your testers will need to have a Google account (#gmail.com) or a G Suite account to join a test.
Run tests internally. Use the internal testing track to push your app to up to 100 internal testers in seconds.
Once I release a beta application and I decide to now put it for production, will it be uploaded as a different application or the same also will the comments that were posted to the beta release google play app be visible on my production app?
(Didn't quite get anything in relation to this one.)
In one of the points, it said that my application should have a higher version code in the beta release then that of the production release, But if I have a higher version in that release would it not be the application that will be getting downloaded even when it might not be the most stable version? (this one actually confused me big time)
Check your Android App Bundle version number. For an app on the internal, closed, or open testing tracks to be available to testers, it must have a higher version code than your production version.
Is there a designated field where I can provide this email for the beta testers or can I just provide it in the description of the application?
Provide a channel for testers to send you feedback. For closed tests, offer testers the ability to provide feedback by email, at a website, in a message forum, or through another suitable mechanism.
For Beta releases is it possible to make a beta release that is available to all the google play users
You can release your app as an Open Beta, which anyone who wants can get access to (without being invited by you). See https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en (specifically the part Step 1: Set up test details - Open test: surface your test app on Google Play)
Once I release a beta application and I decide to now put it for production, will it be uploaded as a different application or the same
Same. There's no re-uploading - you just change the state of the release.
also will the comments that were posted to the beta release google play app be visible on my production app?
Testers can't leave public reviews on Google Play.
But if I have a higher version in that release would it not be the application that will be getting downloaded even when it might not be the most stable version?
Well, that's the point.They have opted in to be testers of your app, so they get the latest available version. If they want to revert back to only getting production versions they can opt out of the test program.
Is there a designated field where I can provide this email for the beta testers or can I just provide it in the description of the application?
This is explained on the page I linked to: Next to "Feedback channel," add an email address or URL to collect feedback from testers. Your app's feedback channel will be shown to users on your tester opt-in page.
Beta releases are just a different track on your app's page.
If you have a public beta program (you'll need to select that as your type), users will see a "Join Beta Program" card somewhere on your app's Play Store page when they visit it. This card should show up below the "Developer Contact" information.
If a user decides to join the beta program, they'll get any new versions you publish there just like a normal update. Beta users cannot leave reviews! Beta users can leave you, the developer, private comments, but unless they leave the beta program, they can't create a review or edit an existing one.
Once you promote your beta build to production, it'll be available to all users of your app as a normal update. Beta users won't receive an update, since they're already on the version you promoted, nor will they be pushed out of the beta program. If you upload an APK straight to production, beta users will receive it as well (they still won't be able to leave a review).
As for version numbers, you can't upload another APK to the Play Console unless it has a later version code than the latest one already uploaded. If you have version 7 in your production channel, you can't upload a new APK with version 7 to beta; it has to be version 8.
When you upload your app as a Beta version, The users who joined your beta testing can upgrade to that version. The other users who have not joined beta testing, will no see any update for your app.
When you want to make the beta version as a production release, you can do so by simply clicking on Promote to Production option on Google Play Store.
With concern to your confusion, when you have some apk in beta version (say versionCode 2), then you can promote that app as a production, or you can also upload another apk as a production but remember, that should have greater version code (say 3). If you do so, then all users will get that update including beta testers. That will be an update to the same app.(I think you're doubtful here) Hope this helps.
When I started distributing my app in Google Play, it was as an opened Beta.
I've recently promote the beta app to production.
The problem is that I have 45k users that have download the app as beta testers, so any review they do is private. I know they can manually get out of the beta, but it's really hard to explain that to them.
So I was thinking of just disabling the beta test, but I'm not sure what is going to happen with all that beta testers.
I couldn't find any documentation about this.
So, if I disable the beta, what is going to happen with them?
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en
I know this is an old thread now but I stumbled upon it today after closing a beta for my app with 100,000 beta users. I simply removed the users and those users were able to stay on that APK until they updated in the play store.
I have an Android app on Google play store with alpha and beta testers (in addition to production) and so far everything was working well.
I am trying to add a new user to the closed beta testing list on google play store. This user is already using the app on production.
For some reason, although his email address is in the beta testing list, he cannot see and download the version that is published to beta. (Only the version on production).
Any reason for that or a way to fix this?
Edit:
I continue to experience this problem: Once a user have already downloaded the app on production, he cannot become a beta tester. Does that make sense?
After chatting with a Google Play representative, I have finally solved the mystery:
First, a user must uninstall the production app and only then he will be able to see and download the alpha/beta version through the Play Store. (He must also follow the invitation link of course).
Second, surprisingly, when you promote a version from alpha to beta - alpha testers can no longer download this version. More precisely, according to the representative -
"When you promote to beta the testers need to opt-out of the alpha test using the same opt-in link, then uninstall the app from their device, and wait 24 hours"
This in some of the cases was my problem since I assumed alpha testers can still have access to the new app version after it is promoted to beta.
There is a way to have both production and beta versions.
You need a fresh beta release, which means its build code should be higher than your production release.
You need to invite/add the beta testers, ask them to follow the link to take part in the testing etc.
The beta testers need to wait few hours for the beta release to roll up. Probably also have to remove the production version.
I plan to use the Google-Play alpha/beta-testing feature for my Android app, before releasing it to the public.
However, after publishing a "stable" app, can I force my beta testers to use that version instead of the beta, or do they all need to opt-out from the testing?
And when the public version can be automatically installed on their devices, will they be able to rate the app afterwards (that is not possible using a beta app)?
To answer my own question:
If I upload a new version as productive, my beta testers will get that too. They can rate the app if they have got a productive version installed. When I upload a new version as beta then, only the beta-testers will get that update (as expected).