I am aware how to upload multiple apks in Google Play Console as described in this youtube video.
This approach works so far.
However, I have my doubts it won't work anymore after August 1st, since Google Play Console won't accept 32 bit apk anymore and the current process as described in the above link is as follow:
Create Release
Upload 32 bit APK
Save, Review and finally
Start Rollout to Production - I suspect this step won't pass for 32 APK after August 1st
Create Release
Press Retain to keep 32 bit APK
Start, Review and Start Rollout to Production
So my question is - if I would like to keep releasing 32 & 64 APK as alternative of apk bundle (which is Google Play Console preferable but not yet mandatory option), how shall I proceed so I can release 32 APK along with 64 one?
You can upload two APKs in the same release as long as the APK targeting 64-bit has a higher version code than the APK targeting 32-bit (Google Play will complain if you don't do that). All the documentation on this topic can be found at: https://developer.android.com/google/play/publishing/multiple-apks
A simpler alternative is to upload a single Android App Bundle in place of an APK, and Google Play will take care of generating the APKs for each of the native architecture your app supports. The documentation can be found at: https://developer.android.com/platform/technology/app-bundle
Related
The situation
An app is released to Google Play as apk. First release back in 2018, several apk updates since. Now as is required from Google (pr. August / November 2021), the format needs to be app-bundle instead of apk when updating the app.
I successfully build the app-bundle and uploaded to Google Play Console. I released the build on 'internal test' track. All seems to be just fine.
The problem
However, no matter what I do, I keep seeing and downloading the latest apk-version instead of the new app-bundle version.
The latest apk version-code is "400126/200126" (x64/x86).
The latest app-bundle version-code is "131".
I first thought it could be a problem that 131 < 400126 (obviously), so I created a new release on the 'internal test' track without any artifact - in the hope that could sort of 'reset' the state - and then creating a new release with the "131" app-bundle again. However no luck in getting the app-bundle version on my devices.
Besides I tried these things with no luck
Unsubscribing and re-subscribing the 'internal track' a dozens of times.
Removed and re-added my Google-id email from the set of 'testers' on Google Play a dozens of times.
Cleared the Google Play cache on my devices.
Installing from Web a dozens of times. Always ending up getting the latest apk-version installed. But actually, when entering my App on Google Play Web, it still shows the latest apk-version, even though it tells me (correctly) that this is a beta-version (indicating that I, indeed, is registered as internal tester). This, at least, is consistent with the fact that I keep download and finding only the latest apk in Google Play app on my phone-device, and not the app-bundle.
BUT! How do I get my new app-bundle available on the 'internal test'? All suggestions are more than welcome. Thanks!
I ended up creating a ticket at Google Support. They quickly replied that I simply needed to increase the build-number to > 400126. That makes a lot of sense.
However, we had another app where this was not needed - but that might be because the app had not yet been promoted to production at the time?
My company has an Android app published on the Play Store since 2018. We never had any problem with the app's distribution, however since July 2020 new versions submitted and released with full rollout do not appear on the Play Store's web page or Android app - they only show an older version, published on June 2020.
We are sure that this is not a matter of caching on our end, as it is consistent across devices and platforms.
Initially, we noted that the Pre-launch report page of the Developer Console showed a few errors for these newer builds and thought that because of them the system would not release the updates, so we fixed the errors. It didn't work.
We also used to use fastlane for preparing the app's APK and uploading it, so we tried preparing the APK using Android Studio's Generate Signed APK option and uploading it manually. It also didn't work.
Our app deals with mature themes (partner swapping), but we take very good care for it to be as safe as possible. The Google Play's Developer Console shows no warning or error message for the app, so we doubt this could be the reason.
New beta and internal versions appear to beta and internal testers, but when upgraded to production, they go back to the old version from June.
No changes were made to minSdkVersion or targetSdkVersion.
I want to publish my Xamarin.Forms App to Google Play Store. But when I upload the APK it gives me warning and disables roll-out option. It says we need to use Android App Bundle (.aab) format so that APK can be optimized for size and resources.
Currently, Visual Studio 2019 Archive option does not support the Android App Bundle. I have taken latest update of Visual Studio 2019 but still above format is not supported.
I googled and found some link to do this from the command prompt by modifying some settings in the Project file. But the build returns errors after couple of minutes with exit code 1.
This is frustrating as I can't publish it to Google Play Store. I have already published the iOS version of App.
Any help here will be very much appreciated.
Me and my team are currently releasing to Google Play with no problems our app as APK.
The App Boundle is a nice way to release smaller applications by delivering just what the device that downloads your application needs. The Xamarin Show published recently a video on this topic, that could be of interest for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IOZ0SUKZq4
Through the following images i show how we upload/publish our APK:
First, in the image below you see that APKs are still supported:
APK uploads correctly:
Then we are able to save and review the APK:
APK is uploaded with warning:
The warning states:
For now we just ignore the warning and go on to roll out:
In case that after following those steps your Start Rollout option is not yet enabled, it might be the case that you still have some other Listing Sections for your Application. After you introduce all the information required by Google, the Start Rollout option must be available.
We created 64-bit version of my app as per the android link.
Now we get two folders with 32-bit apk and 64-bit apk which is fine.
Now I want to know, how to merge both this 32/64 bit apk. Is it possible to merge them or we need to upload both 32 bit and 64-bit apk separately in google play store?
You can upload two APKs in the same release as long as the APK targeting 64-bit has a higher version code than the APK targeting 32-bit (Google Play will complain if you don't do that). All the documentation on this topic can be found at: https://developer.android.com/google/play/publishing/multiple-apks
A simpler alternative is to upload a single Android App Bundle in place of an APK, and Google Play will take care of generating the APKs for each of the native architecture your app supports. The documentation can be found at: https://developer.android.com/platform/technology/app-bundle
It is ok to have multiple APKs for single app split by resources or NDK libs, because it reduces APKs sizes. You can upload multiple APKs as single app at Android Play Store, it will select appropriate APK for user before installation.
https://developer.android.com/studio/build/configure-apk-splits
https://stackoverflow.com/a/42336433/3858030
I have 4 signed release build apks of different architectures (35.MB on average is size) and had submitted for Alpha and Beta testing. While as a tester I downloaded the app from Google Play Store, but it was showing up 111 MB file while I was downloading it.
I thought it was how it worked for Alpha and Beta, but while I move the same release to production I faced the same issue. Now the app is on production but I am worried the users may not panic for 111 MB app which was earlier as 35.40 MB on average for all devices. Refer screens below.
Earlier I never posted the builds for Alpha and Beta testing, but this time there was a requirement for Upgrade activity.
This one shows up in one of the apk release details:
Info for the the same build:
This SO post could be the answer.
If that is a paid application, you may implement the Google Play licensing service, else (if free), implement your own copy protection scheme.
You may check this github post for more related issue.
Hope this helps.