Looking at the documentation here.
On Google Play, when you create an open beta:
Users can find your open test via search on Google Play. Once users find your listing, they can install your app normally.
This is not the behavior we want for our open beta. We don't want the app to be discoverable by searching the store. We only want the app only to be accessible by a link. This is possible using iOS's TestFlight platform.
We don't want a closed alpha because we don't want to manage a list of emails. We'd like anyone with the link to have access.
Is there any way to make a "link-only" open beta in Google Play?
You actually can't. However, you might be interested in creating an alpha test, instead of using mails, using a Google Group.
Reference in Closed test: manage testers with Google Groups.
Related
I have 2 problems with integration of shortcut's capabilities (but the shortcuts themselves work properly) in Android:
Assistant doesn't see my debug application on phrase "Open myappname"
Assistant doesn't see any shortcut capability which I added to the dynamic shortcuts.
If I clearly understand it will be able after publication at the Google Play, but my application is not designed for this store. How can I force Google Assistant to understand my queries?
For app actions, your application needs to be uploaded to the Google Play Store. That being said, it doesn't need to be published to everyone. At the very least you can create an internal or closed test release.
I have a dev version of my app that is not published in the Play Store. I would like to test dynamic links with it, but whenever I click a dynamic link, it opens the play store, and I get a not found error (because there is no corresponding package in the Play Store).
What's the recommended way of testing this? It would also apply to staging environments, etc... that are not published.
I was able to test it like this:
I published a closed alpha version of an app - open only to my email (beta should work just the same)
Opted in via the opt-in link in the developer console (it's on the APK section)
After that, clicking the dynamic link I created on the Firebase console worked as expected, without having my app out in the open.
Caveats:
Connected Google users - might cause a problem if only one is on the alpha group list
It takes a bit of time to get started. Make sure you can see the app in Google Play before trying to click the link
Updates, fixes and changes take time until they actually appear on Google Play. Google Play now offers internal testing, a level below alpha that propagates updates quicker.
The other answer above is technically correct, but you can get close to simulating the real behavior without putting anything on the Google Play Store.
If your application is installed, the dynamic link will open your application. This is true even if your app is not listed on the Play Store. If this is not working for you, your app is not properly set up to receive dynamic links.
If your application is not installed, you will be taken to the Play Store and you will see app not found. After, you can sideload the app to simulate a Play Store install.
Google states the following regrading there open beta service "For early access apps (new apps that haven't been published to production): Users can find your beta version via search on the Play Store. Once users find your listing, they can install your app normally."
Source
I published my app to open beta last night but when I log out of any google related service and search on the play store my app is not visible. It is titled Fractal Plus. The opt-in URL seems to work fine.
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/biz.MagiTek.FractalPlus
Anyone know how I can fix this?
The 'Early Access' feature on the Play Store may still be being rolled out to users. On one of my devices the play store does not have an Early Access section yet and I cannot see your app via a search, however on another device I am able to see your app in the play store search results.
I have a subscription based web-service that allows you to monitor industrial machines. It supports Raspberry PI and Android.
Right now, the Android APK is downloaded from my website, but I want to put it in PlayStore to be able to push silent updates (most of the devices running it don't have a screen).
My question is how to make it "hidden" in PlayStore ?
I want only people coming with a link from my website to be able to download it. I want it to not appear in searches or in any Store listings (new apps, popular, etc). The only reason to have it in the store is for silent updates that are not possible in any other way.
I don't know if there is an official solution for this, but Apps with only Alpha and Beta apks are always hidden in the Playstore.
Google Play now allows you a new way to distribute internal applications(Google Play Private Channel):
The Google Play Private Channel for Google Apps (the Private Channel)
allows Google Apps domains to distribute internal Android applications
to their users through the Google Play Store.
Here you can find the announce on Google Enterprise Blog and here the instructions to set up this feature.
I developed a new Android App and I would like to test the app among my inner friend circle. Therefore I want to publish the app to Google Play, but the app should not be visible to normal users, when they search for related keywords.
Only if I send the exact link to a user to, like https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mydomain.myapp, I want them to see it and download it.
Is it possible to hide your App from search results?
BTW: I know this is not totally programming related, but who else would know, if not developers.
The "APK" section of the Google Play Developer Console has a "Beta Testing" tab that you can use to make versions available only to certain users.
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en