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.
Related
I have developed a game using Unity and I have used Google Play Games in it. It works good for testers and also for public users when I publish it on Google Play Games. The problem is I want to publish it on a local app store (and not Google Play Games) and it does not work this way! Is there any trick about it?
Yes, this is possible. It does even work if you sell your app through google play and on another platform. But the device needs to have the google play games app installed, so it does not work on Amazon devices.
Let’s assume your app is called “TheGame”.
Go to the Google Play Developer Console to “All application”:
Add another app name call it “TheGame (DRM-free)”
Create an empty APK that signed with a keystore and a different bundle identifier (if you already sell it on Google Play)
Upload the APK to alpha or beta testing, but not production.
Complete the Store Listing and Content Rating
Set pricing to free
Publish your app. (no worries it will not appear on Google Play)
Then go Google Play Developer Console to "Game Services:
If you not already have that add new game
Link your app “TheGame (DRM-free)” to you game services under “linked apps”
Make sure you set the “Enable anti-piracy” option to “OFF”
Publish your changes
This work with achievement, leaderboards and multiplayer.
The users don’t need to be testers anymore.
Also multiplayer between your DRM-free and your Google Play app is possible.
You may want to check this document- Alternative Distribution Options
As an open platform, Android offers choice. You can distribute your Android apps to users in any way you want, using any distribution approach or combination of approaches that meets your needs. From publishing in an app marketplace to serving your apps from a web site or emailing them directly users, you’re never locked into any particular distribution platform.
Distributing Through an App Marketplace
Distributing Your Apps by Email
Distributing Through a Website
User Opt-In for Apps from Unknown Sources
Android protects users from inadvertent download and install of apps from locations other than Google Play (which is trusted). It blocks such installs until the user opts-in Unknown sources in Settings > Security, shown in image below. Users need to make this configuration change before they download your apps to their devices.
Users must enable the Unknown sources setting before they can install apps not downloaded from Google Play.
Note that some network providers don’t allow users to install applications from unknown sources.
Also you can check this SO question about : What is the fall back plan for devices without Google Play Services, this may add information to ensure your app should run.
Hope it helps!
I am currently working on an Android app and I am wondering which would be the best way to distribute it to customers. I understand that one can create a private channel but I haven't been able to determine whether our customers would be able to use it. From what I've gathered, a private channel is for internal distribution; I wonder if someone without an e-mail account from our company would be able to download it this way?
If Google Play is not the answer, what would you do? I know the app can be distributed through e-mail or links to download it but I'd rather avoid having users change their devices' configuration to allow installing APK from unknown sources.
Not sure what your beef with Google Play is but even if you're not intending to publish the app at all, you can still take advantage of the beta testing mechanism -- you can distribute a Google Play to limited audience -- i.e. a list of google accounts.
Apart from that, if I'm not mistaken TestFlight supports Android package distribution. Looks like they dropped Android support
I'm building an Android app which for various reasons cannot be listed publicly on the Google Play store.
I have found information about the Google Play Private Channel but if I understand it correctly, this can only be used when all your users are within a Google Apps domain (which mine are not).
Are there any similar methods that I could use to deploy my app (and get the benefit of easy installation for users, an updating mechanism etc.), or is my only option to publish an APK file manually?
From what I can tell, manually publishing APK files is the only choice, but this seems strange to me since my situation must be common for "private" business applications.
In particular, I am concerned that it would look unprofessional to have to guide users through the process of turning on the "Allow installation of apps from unknown sources" setting.
Any advice welcome, thanks!
I would just deploy your app using Google Play "Beta testing and staged rollout":
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en
Your users have to join a Google Group or Google + community that you create so you can limit you audience and make the app non-public on Google Play but still allows your non-public users to update the app via Google Play instead of manual APK installation.
The only downside is that the members of the Google Group or Google + community will only be as private as their Google account provides. So, app users are known to each other but your app will not be public on Google Play.
Can you not use BETA or ALPHA pushes
Is it possible for an android application to act as a custom market place?
The imagined behavior of the app:
Download XYZ app from the built in Google Play Store
Opening XYZ app yields a UI similar to that seen in the Play Store
The user can navigate through XYZ app and select a custom app supported by XYZ to install on their phone
This custom app would not be located on the Play Store and the .apk would be directly installed from the context of the XYZ app/marketplace to the users phone
I did some research and found alternative Android App Stores such as:
Amazon App Store for Android
GetJar
SLideMe
F-Droid
But is it possible to have an alternative marketplace like this that can be accessed from an app that was downloaded from the Google Play Store? Does google allow this type of practice?
So I suppose the heart of my questions is: Is it possible to create an android application that has permissions to install other 3rd party applications directly to a users phone? (without needing to leverage the Play Store or needing to jailbreak the phone)
Thanks in advance for the answers and insights! And please let me know if anything I'm saying doesn't make sense.
(Extra Credit: I would also be curious to learn about the feasibility of doing this with an iOS app as well)
To add to the other answers, you will have problems with some of Google Play's rules. AFAIK they don't allow your app to direct users to a different store. So you won't be able to keep your app on Google Play store in that case.
EDIT
It is not in the Terms and Conditions, as confirmed by #Cumulo Nimbus.
It is in clause 4.5 of the Developer Distribution Agreement:
4.5 Non-Compete. You may not use the Market to distribute or make available any Product whose primary purpose is to facilitate the
distribution of software applications and games for use on Android
devices outside of the Market.
My interpretation of the above was, and still is, that we can't point people to a different app store.
Kudos to #zmarties for pointing me at the Developer Program Policy which links out to the Developer Distribution Agreement. I knew I'd seen this somewhere...
In terms of iOS, Apple does not allow different app stores unless you jailbreak (iOS-speak for rooting) your phone. They are not as open minded as the Google.
Android apps don't need to be rooted in order to install third party apk's. The use just needs to allow this in their settings. The apps you have listed simply instruct their users to enable this setting.
The best example of a third-party "free as in freedom" app store would be F-Droid
Technically it's possible.
The current Developer Program Policy does not seem to prohibit it either - all they have to say on the matter relates to installing "dangerous products" from outside the play store:
Dangerous Products: We don't allow content that harms, interferes with the operation of, or accesses in an unauthorized manner, networks, servers, or other infrastructure.
Malicious scripts and password phishing scams are also prohibited on Google Play, as are apps that cause users to unknowingly download or install apps from sources outside of Google Play.
Having said that, I can't quickly see any alternative apps stores that are themselves in the Play Store.
I have android app published on google play store. it is visible to all users in USA. But now i want to publish my application so that only specific devices can install this application.
For this purpose, i googled a lot but not getting anything. what i found is "Google play store private channel". I tried to understand that but no luck.
I think google play private channel restrict application to specific user not devices.
Am i right ?
Please guide for the same.
http://developer.android.com/google/play/filters.html
take a look at this link, it tells you how to restrict certain devices installing or viewing your app in the play store. You can restrict access by sdk version or screen size.