I have a client for whom I have made three apps for different regions (App 1, App2, App3).
Now the client changed his strategy and instead of having a different brand for every region he wants just one global brand which also means one app. He obviously doesn't want to lose the users of the three old apps in the process so my question is: can I somehow merge all these apps into one on Google Play and Apple Store?
I couldn't find sufficient information anywhere. All I could think of was to update all three with a new package but that would mean that three apps (now with the same name and same everything) remain in the stores, which would probably result in deletion.
Is there any way to do this?
you should tell all the users of 3 applications by notification that they need to download new application and their data will be transferred into the new application.
While Prashant Jaiswal has already answered it, let me elaborate it a bit.
Step-1
Provide an update to each of your 3 apps that shows an overlay with a message saying that We have a brand new version the app and current version of the app is going to be obsolete. Please install the new app from playstore
Step-2
If there are any local databases associated with your app, then make a provision to update all the user data to server as a backup which they can retrieve again from the new app.
Step-3
If your app has social media login associated with your app, then it will no longer be continued, since changing the package name will result in creation of new app, so you have to make necessary changes in your server to handle the social media login.
step-4
Make the provision to accommodate the changes of step-1 to step-3 in your existing apps so that the migration can be taken place, and once user clicks on the install new version, begin your migration process before redirecting user to the play store.
step-5
Then use this link for Android Implicit intent to uninstall application? to uninstall your existing apps once the new app is downloaded and follow something similar for iOS part.
final step
All the above steps I mentioned by considering the general app design, there might be few more things that you have to consider based on the complexity of your app and its interaction with the servers
Just so that you know, you can not merge the three apps directly at
playstore. The only way to merge the apps is create a merged app and
redirect the users.
Related
I have an app published in Google Play Store using my personal email id. However, we are planning to register as a startup and launch the app under a company name. When I contacted Google about this process, they said I have to remove the old app and publish it again as a new app from the new id. That would mean I will lose all the current users. Is there a way to do it without removing the old app or linking the old app to the new app? Or some way to force the users to download the update from the new publisher link?
I am not sure if this is the right place to ask this question. If it isn't can you suggest someplace where I could get an answer for this?
Apps can be transferred to another developer account without any apparent change to the end user. But if you change the app, Id like from android.app.gekkouga to android.app.startup (which is how I think the person you spoke to understood you), then you have to republish the app which by all intents and purposes is a different app, as PlayStore assigns each app a unique url based on the app's unique app id.
I'm introducing dynamic features in my Android app and want to know the scenario if I upload a new version to the store that contains updates in the dynamic feature module ONLY? Will all the users see that there is an update? Or will only the ones that have the dynamic feature installed see it?
Giving an example to make sure the question is clear.
Let's say the app has dynamic feature D. User A has the app installed and the dynamic feature D installed as well. User B has the app installed WITHOUT dynamic feature D. If the app developer uploades an update to the store that only has updates in the dynamic feature part. Will user B see that there's an update in the app?
You will upload a new .aab file for a new version of your app.
This is always the full application.
The Play Store decides what to deliver to the user via delta updates.
But there's no way for you as developer to only flag a single module for update.
Your question is pretty simple.All the users who have installed the app from playstore will see that a new update is available for download and it is there choice if they download it.
Our contracted Android developer provided us with the source code of the work performed for us, as per our contract. After the contract finished, the developer became busy and is now not reachable. We are moving to another developer to maintain the application. However, we do not have the first developer's keystore so the application is not allowing us to update it.
Is there anyway for us to maintain this application if we cannot get ahold of the original developer? We have lots of customers who have the app with data they have generated, and they need our updates.
If you have push notification feature in your old App then you can send a push to all your user that there is another updated version is available.
And Just upload updated version with different package name. And even you can send play store link in that push message as well. Most of people use this technique and they got success to move all user from old app to new.
No you can't update your app on the store without the published keystore.
You can publish the app with another name and keystore (a new app so with a different package name) but you can't update it.
In regards to app transfer process, has anyone experienced difficulties after a transfer of ownership was done?
We are developing an app for a client, who have an existing app being hosted and managed by a 3rd party vendor. We need to understand the process of helping the client get ownership of the current app and then with the same name of the app, push our (new) binaries as an update to the app. The key thing is that there should not be any disruption to the current service and the transition to the new app is transparent to the users – All reviews, ratings etc. remain the same.
What are the key information transfers that must happen during transfer of ownership of an app (Keys, version no. etc.)?
If new update to an app is completely different in architecture, is there an approval process from Google Play to go through? If yes, how long does this usually take?
So to summarize, ‘V’ is the third party vendor hosting the app named ‘X’ for our client ‘C’. We (Dev company ‘D’) want to replace the current app with our implementation, but retaining the existing app name, customer base, reviews, ratings etc. such that existing users just get a notification to upgrade their existing app and it changes to the new app once they download.
Thanks!
On Android I think that you can 'unpublish' an application so that no new users can download the application but that the user who already have the application will recieve new versions that are uploaded to google play (or so it seems to say here: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/113476?hl=en&ref_topic=3450986 )
However I can't find any information on iOS. Can I remove the app but still update existing customers with a new version?
Just for context the update I want to issue for both OS is basically an app which displays a 'app is now closed' message.
Any help would be gratefully received.
Can I remove the app but still update existing customers with a new version?
As far as I am concerned, you can't do this in the App Store.
No, this isn't possible. Once you remove the app, nobody will see it in the app store. Existing users of the app won't see any updates that you may have published before removing it that they never installed. It's just gone if you remove it from the app store.
You could publish an app update that includes some kind of notification system within the app, and keep that in the store long enough for most users to upgrade. Then after you pull the app from the store, you could update this message (presumably it would retrieve this message from your server) to state that the app is no longer available, and maybe direct them to whatever you have that you're replacing it with (assuming you're replacing it). Otherwise, I don't see why you necessarily need to inform existing users that you've removed the app. If there are server-side components that it accesses, and you're shutting those down, I guess the app will simply cease to function for existing users.
I also don't think there is a way to offer updates without new customers being able to buy the app.
Why not increase the price of the app to the highest price allowed in the app store, so that no one will buy it? That way you can offer an update for your existing customers, but effectively stop new sales. If the new price is $1999.00 US, I doubt if you will get any takers...