Versions 1 to 3 of my app in Google Play have minSdkVersion = 15.
Then, when I published version 4, I changed minSdk to 16. Google Play Console automatically kept version 3 active for users with Android API = 15, with was quite sensible.
In version 57 I chagned minSdk once again, and set it to 26. I expected version 56 (with minSdk = 16) would be still active for users with Android API between 16 and 25. But it didn't happen and version 56 was deactivated automatically.
Now, there are two code versions active:
version 3 for users with Android API < 26
version 57 for users with Android API >= 26
My aim is to have version 56 available for users with Android API from 16 to 25, but I have no idea how to change activity of code versions in Google Play Console. Is it even possible?
Thank you
(I never though PlayStore keeps active an old version for very old SDK users...it's strange Google does it because if you release a newer version it should be take in count about old users in your new code and not by a complete old and separated version.)
At this time you can't change something of previous releases. Unfortunately PlayStore doesn't more accept updates that targets SDK<26 so the only think you can do is take in count SDK between 16 and 25 in your code while targetting 26+.
Related
Google recently announced, that "updates to apps and games on Google Play will be required to target Android 9 (API level 28) or higher". As far as I understand, this does not have any negative consequences (like, the apps are removed from store) to existing apps with a targetSdkVersion lower than 28. Is this true? So, what google wants to say is just that I'm no longer able to update existing apps with targetSdkVersion < 28?
Last year Google notified developers to upgrade your Apps which should be at least API-LEVEL 26.
Now same thing we have to do upgrade API-Level, existing applications will not stop or removed but new builds we can not publish on play store which are below> API Level 28.
Yes you are right, starting from November 1 Google won't allow you to submit to console if the target is less than 28
I tried to submit my updated application to playstore. When I tried upload the apk on production, there was notice saying
Play Store will require that new apps and app
updates target a recent Android API level. This will be required for
new apps in August 2018, and for updates to existing apps in November
2018. This is to ensure apps are built on the latest APIs optimized for security and performance.
Currently, my application was set minSDKVersion 19 and targetSDKVersion as 23.
Does that mean I have to update my application to targetSDKVersion 26?
I have tried to change this and upload it. I seems to have error saying about the downgrade (Sorry I should have make a note of the message).
Does that mean I have to update my application to targetSDKVersion 26?
Yes. But for now its just a warning, it will enforced from beginning of August for new apps. Do take note that deadline for app update is November.
have tried to change this and upload it. I seems to have error saying
about the downgrade
Since you don't have complete error message, one probable cause of this issue is, you are trying to upload an app which has VersionCode less than the app available on play store. Re-check your version code and increase it if needed.
August 2018: New apps required to target API level 26 (Android 8.0) or
higher.
November 2018: Updates to existing apps required to target API level 26 or higher.
2019 onwards: Each year the targetSdkVersion
requirement will advance. Within one year following each Android
dessert release, new apps and app updates will need to target the
corresponding API level or higher.
source: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2017/12/improving-app-security-and-performance.html
I have an app on the play store that that I am receiving crash reports from and have noticed that there are some crashes that are specific to an android version ( 4.0 - 4.4 ). I want to send out an update to only those android versions. How do I go about doing that because the play store doesn't give me any such option. The minimum api version I am targeting is 16 with a targetSDK version of 27. Do i need to change those values and make a target sdk version of 19 instead and push out the update? If so will it affect the availability of the app to devices with a higher api level?
This can be done in the Play store with a Multiple APK configuration.
Suppose the current version of your app has versionCode 100. You produce a new version with versionCode 101, which has:
minSdkVersion 14 (ICS, version 4.0)
maxSdkVersion 19 (KitKat, version 4.4)
You then create a release which has both version code 101 and version code 100 in it.
To make things slightly more complicated, you should think about a user who has a KitKat phone and upgrades their Android version. They would then be matched with version 100, but this would be a downgrade from versionCode 101 to versionCode 100, and downgrades are not allowed. So you should also produce a version 102 which is exactly the same as 100.
Because this is so complicated, it might be easier to just deliver the update to everyone, and keep a single APK.
I have an app which currently supports Android API 17 and above.
My new version requires some calls that were added in API 19. I have finished coding and am ready to release my new version...but only for API 19 and above. I intend to support API 17, but it will take me a little while to write that code.
I would not like to hold up the release my app for my API 19 customers.
If I upload an APK with minimum SDK level set to 19, then I know that my customers with API < 19 will not be able to upgrade. However, if I later upload another APK with my min API now set back to 17 again, will the API < 19 installations be able to "skip" the first APK version and upgrade to the next version that supports their device?
Yes, you can change the minSDK version after the app is published to play store.
Also you need to upgrade the versionCode in build.gradle file higher than the current play store version code.
Once you upload the new apk with minSDK set back to 17, user with API< 19 will also be able to download the updated app.
Just a short question. Let's say I've published an app on the Play Store:
versionCode = 1
minSdk = 8
The day after I publish the same app but:
versionCode = 2
minSkd = 11
How will the users be affected?
Devices with API level < 11, will continue see first version, or none?
Devices with API level >= 11 will see, only version 2, or both?
Many thanks.
Devices with API < 11 will not see your app. Existing users with api < 11 will not be able to update, and will be stuck with old version. Users with api >= 11 will see the latest version of your app, ie. the one with versionCode 2.
Users with api >= 11 who have the old version of app installed will be able to update to latest version, ie. the one with versionCode 2. (most devices are set to auto-update apps)