1) I'm using Play Install Referrer Library to track install referrers from Google Play.
2) When I catch a Play referrer in my app, I send it on Firebase as action.
3) To debug this feature I've created beta-test version on Play Market for my app and modify the link by adding parameter utm_source=my-source
So, when user follows my modified link using android device, logging works correctly.
But if user uses, for instance, PC, he will come to desktop version of Play Market, and utm_source will be always equals google-play
Can someone explain is this a correct behavior? And if it is, how can I properly track my sources?
Related
I want to deploy and publish multiple at the same time. Currently I'm using https://www.npmjs.com/package/deploy-aab-google-play npm library to push bundle files. It is working well doing the job for me.
But, I have a new requirement. I need to get all apps approved before going live. Play stores "Managed Publishing" is very good option to do so, but it is not possible to publish every app manually from play console dashboard like shown in below image. I need to deploy more than 30 apps (increasing day by day) at once.
Play store Managed publishing
Can we get app status through API call or any npm library which return is app approved and ready to publish and if so make app through API call or any npm library only.
Any tools such as deploy-aab-google-play which i use to push aab files.
Thank you in advance for your suggestions.
The following is the situation:
I have an app, that I have published to the Google Play store (version code: 100, version name 1.100).
I want to add feature allow people to update the app using an apk(release) from a website instead of from the Play Store.
BUT during testing I found the following problem:
Download current app from store(v - 100)
after that try to install(update) using the APK I compile
result - "App not installed."
But if I
install a hand created old APK (exactly the same as was uploaded to the Store)
try to install a handcreated APK update that was uploaded to the store
everything works fine
CAN you please describe there're some limits additional checkers for security or something wrong on my side ?
You are probably signed into Google Play App Signing.
Every Android app is signed with a key. When the phone tries to install an update, the update must be signed with the same key as the original app. This is for the security of the user. This stops a fake version of WhatsApp or Facebook (or your app) being created and users tricked into installing it. A bad developer can create an app with the same package name, but doesn't have access to the key, so this protects the users.
When you deliver through Google Play App Signing, Google removes the signature with your key (the "upload key") and signs it with a new Google Play key. This is a good thing. It protects you if you lose your upload key, without this there would be nothing Google could do to help you.
But this is why the upgrade doesn't happen. The app you hand create is signed with your upload key, so it won't update the app installed from Google Play.
This is a good thing. You don't want users who installed from one source (eg Google Play) to update from another source, like a download from a website. It would put them at serious risk of harmful fake apps.
However, if you really want to do this, you need to not use Google Play App Signing.
An alternative solution:
You can upload your signed apk on google play console then download the new signed apk and put it on your website or anywhere else.
Google announced their Google Play Referrer API at 20 November 2017 as new way to track app installs. My question is: Is there any way to test the function before my app is released in Google play?
You can test it without uploading on Playstore.
I did in following way.
I have created urls like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fullpackagename&referrer=utm_source%3Dmobisoc&utm_content%3Dmobisoc&hl=en
I have fired this url from my mail. It redirects to Playstore
From command Prompt(using adb command) , I have installed desired apk.
On Playstore, "install" button will be replaced with "open" button and I clicked on that. it is working
Update
Beta test only works for referrer broadcast. I implement both installreferrer API and broadcast at the same time, so the referrer is from broadcast instead of API.
Use Beta test provided by Google Play as following:
Submit beta test APK file
Add your account to the testers
Open the detail page url of your APP with a referrer. The url can be like this according to a similar thread:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mypackage&referrer=utm_source%3Dmobisoc%26utm_content%3D{transaction_id}%26utm_campaign%3D1
If using Chrome, the url can be redirected to Play APP by clicking "Open in Play Market APP" button on the page.
Download and install your APP in Play APP.
Your app should then receive a referrer after launch, and you can test it by reporting it or printing a log.
Alpha test should also work, but I have not test that.
None mentioned in the Play Install Referrer API. So sadly, no. Try filing a feature request here.
According to this documentation
Google Play’s new Install Referrer API replaces the deprecated InstallBroadcast used for Google Play Campaign Attribution.
I did some tests and I figured out that if you have the Firebase configured in you app and "FirebaseApp.initializeApp(this)" in your application class so Firebase collect referrer information and provide a dashboard with this information without any other implementation, only calling "FirebaseApp.initializeApp(this)".
On Firebase Console -> Analytics -> Conversions -> Conversion Events -> first_open then you'll can see somthing like that
If you built a url like the one bellow to your app on Play Store, where you see google-play and (direct) will be added the new item newsletter (It can be not at realtime)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.packace&referrer=utm_source%3Dnewsletter%26utm_medium%3Demail%26anid%3Dadmob
BTW the solution proposed by eager realy works (at least for me) to test if you app is receiving the referrer url
My point here is, if you want to know if a campaign made using referrer url is working, Firebase Console provides this information, but if you want to know for each user what was the referrer url that led then to install the app so you will need to implement your own solution.
Hello I'm installing an app from Google play Website from laptop in which I have appended the referral value in it.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.example&referrer=utm_source%3DUNOKNA%26utm_medium%3Dinvite
On click on Install button of web site then app downloading starts on user device. Once it has installed then I don't get the referral value whatever it is.
When I do same in the android device (phone/tablet), once click on link it open the Google Play Android App and pass that value and it works always.
Sorry but not is possible.
You have here another question like yours, seems web-to-app doesn't work
Install referrer is not tracking on android web market
It's unfortunately not possible.
I ran into this same tracking problem so I contacted Google Analytic's enterprise support.
I was told this:
Google Play Referral report only reports data for the Google Play
Android app, so conversions that occur in the Google Play website or
mobile web site are not included in this report.
I have built an application that we will be selling to customers through the Google Play store.
We also have individuals in house that will support outside customers, and also use it in house. They need to have the application running on their own device. If I distribute it to them via an .apk file, can they receive updates via Google Play? Or do they have to purchase it through Google Play to receive updates?
Secondary question: Is there a better solution to distributing to internal users?
As curious myself and not having official info on this, I just did a test:
On Google Play I have an App at version 1.3.2
I've installed via ADB the version 1.3.0 on my device.
Opened Google Play > My Apps.
The update to version 1.3.2 was available.
Did the update
All seems to work normally.
So my word on this is: Yes they will receive the update (the app has to have the same signature of course).
Maybe you might just have a look on term of services if this isn't breaking any rules.
On the second question, the "better" solution may wary based on the company infrastructure which we don't know.
If the version on Google Play is identical to the version you distributed, signed with the same signature, and it is available as a free app, then Google Play can be used to update the version distributed outside of Google Play.
I received the following in an email from a member of the Google Play Team:
"The side-loaded apps used by your internal users will not receive updates from Google Play. You will need to provide them with the new APK in order for them to access the new features/functionality. This is working as intended to ensure that only users who have purchased a paid app will receive notifications and updates."
So: Paid for apps cannot be updated via Google Play if they are "side-loaded" (installed outside of Google Play).