In the past we were able to deploy private versions of our app to EMM's (e.g. VMWare, MobileIron) and test out managed configurations. But today, we are unable to test new app updates within a managed environment.
Android https://developer.android.com/work/managed-configurations
With new Google updates EMMs are no longer able to upload private versions of our app if the app package id conflicts with a publicly available app on Google Play. For regulatory reasons we are unable to just change the package id and test because it is technically not testing the same binaries. Best we can do now is simulate a managed environment using Test DCP : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.afwsamples.testdpc
Is this the best we can test without publicly releasing the app update to Google Play? We have contacted VMWare and basically got the same answer but would like a confirmation. Uploading the app to a closed testing track on Google Play and then trying to importing to EMM did not work either.
iOS https://www.appconfig.org/ios/
Basically the same issue for iOS. Apple has kind of removed the Enterprise Developer Account which we previously used to sign and upload our own versions to EMM. The new eligibility requirements are too much. Alternatively, none of the EMMs work with TestFlight. And for iOS we do not know of any app like Android Test DCP to simulate a managed environment. I read a few github chains and Apple forums where companies are just releasing the app publicly then testing to make sure everything works. That can't be right, right?
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I'm developing an app for android in flutter. Only some people will use it so I do not want to upload it to PlayStore. The problem is, I can make it an apk and install it to devices but I can not update it. Is there a way or a program like TestFlight that I can also update the app for every devices using it?
Without uploading it is not possible, but you have the option to upload it and don't make it publicly available.
The Google Play Store equivalent of Apple's TestFlight is creating an application in the Google Play Console and set up a release that is available for testing and not available for production (live presence in the Store).
This way you app will not be publicly available and you have to add the testers manually, just as it is with TestFlight. New versions will be delivered to the user's who installed the test application. One limitation is that the users need a Google Account to participate in the resting.
You can read about the details here.
We use firebase to distribute test builds internally, check this: https://firebase.google.com/docs/app-distribution
In the Huawei Store, we could publish an app upgrade via "Version/Upgrade" menu. But once we publish it will directly appear in the store.
Is there any way to publish an app on the Huawei developer console for testing like Beta/Alpha texting in the Google Play console?
Yes. AppGallery Console provides Open testing feature for developers to publish their APK to selected users before releasing it for all. The Opening Testing service is still in beta state. To launch an open test, you should send an email for the application. You can follow the this official link to apply for an Open Test.
You can try HMS Cloud Testing which provides a complete set of automatic test processes based on real mobile phone use. It tests automatically the compatibility, stability, performance, and power consumption of Android apps, without manual intervention.
Please refer the following articles for details.
A Novice Journey towards Cloud Testing - Part I
A Novice Journey towards Cloud Testing - Part II
Cloud Testing: - Variety of tests on your Android App
I'm using Android Management API to turn several devices into kiosks for ticketing application. I was able to create an enterprise, enroll a couple of devices, install the app manually and control it via policies. It works just fine.
Now I want to publish my app to Play Store and I want it to be available for the devices enrolled to this enterprise only. As suggested here, I restricted the app to my enterprise in Pricing & Distribution > User programs > Managed Google Play and published my app. Then I added my app to Android Management API policy to get an automatic update. But the app still isn't visible on these devices and doesn't update. When I'm changing the package name in the policy to some existing app, the device is trying to download it. So it seems like a problem with my app in store.
Do I miss something? There are other Google APIs that solve private/enterprise distribution: Android EMM Developers or Custom App Publishing API but there is no information how do these APIs work together and if I still need to register to EMM if I'm using Android Management API? I thought that it should simplify this process, but I'm getting a bit confused.
Also to mention, the enterprise owner and the store owner is the same account.
The Android Management API and the EMM API do similar things. The EMM API currently has a few more features that are slowly being added into the management API. Try to stay with only one of them.
You seem to be doing everything right. Normally the best thing to do is contact Play Console support in this case. You can do this through the help menu in the Play Console, which is on the "?" question mark icon.
If you don't manage to get any help from them, ask them to route the question to the Play Enterprise team and say we asked you to in this StackOverflow answer. You'll need your app package name and enterprise id.
I have a question concerning Android app development. I'm about to develop an app that I want to give to test users. Testing the app on my own phone means plugging it in my laptop and updating it manually. Do you know any solution that provides automatic updating for in-progress-apps without plugging each phone in on each update?
Maybe there is a google play store function I don't know about yet that lets you "hide" you app before publication and you can share the link with designated people?
Thank you a lot!
The Play Store offers alpha and beta testing, which allows you to upload and distribute test builds via the Play Store.
If you use this feature, you control which version of your application testers will receive on their devices, and they will automatically get updates.
You do not need your application to be publicly available to use this feature.
We are adding Android Auto and iOS CarPlay support to the existing Android/iOS versions of an app. We are able to successfully test the Auto application using the Android Media Browser simulator as directed by the Android developer documentation.
We also have a stereo head unit that supports both Auto and CarPlay. We are able to use the CarPlay app successfully on the head unit, and we are able to use published Auto apps on the head unit. However, we can't see our development app on the actual device.
The Auto documentation is still a little bit thin, but I'm gathering based on some wording I've seen that Auto apps get some special flag (or similar) added by Google Play when they pass review:
Before making the app available to Android Auto users, Google Play
submits your app for review against the Auto App Quality criteria and
notifies you of the result. If your app is approved, Google Play makes
that app available to Android Auto users.
Based on this, is at all possible to run Auto apps on hardware before they've already been published and approved through Google Play?
This seems like a frustrating chicken-and-egg problem. We'd like to have the confidence that things look good on actual hardware and on target devices before publishing.
It is now possible to test your Android Auto apps on Auto-enabled head units. The procedure is to upload your app to the Play Store in an alpha channel, which you can then install to your device and test in a car. You will even receive feedback from the Auto review team for your app. [Wayne Piekarski]
Follow this
You can also install the Desktop Head Unit (DHU) to test it in software before submitting it to the Play Store. I used this method to make sure most of the quality issues were resolved with my app before submitting it. The DHU does not require the apk to be signed by Google.
Also, submitting it through the store usually takes several hours before you can test. The DHU is, obviously, immediate feedback.
Here's the link: https://developer.android.com/training/auto/testing/index.html
The short answer is no, you can not. It is due to the driver safety review. It will not be able to run on the real device until the app is approved.
But I think, you can contact Google and they can do something about it, if you really need to test it in your car.