What are the differences between beta, alpha and production ?
It is possible to move from alpha or beta to production ?
You can upload an apk production and hide ?
What are the differences between beta, alpha and production ?
beta and alpha are testing channels which is not available to public on playstore app. The apps under these channel are available only to your testers.
Alpha testing group users are eligible for the alpha, beta, or
production version of your app with the highest version code that is
compatible with their device. Beta testing group users are only
eligible for the beta or production version of your app with the
highest version code that is compatible with their device.
apps in production are available to anyone who uses comes to playstore (provided you've chosen to distribute in the user's region) production
Read this Google help page for a detailed overview of each.
It is possible to move from alpha or beta to production ?
Yes, you will get a direct upload to do that against each apk in alpha/beta. Tou can also move directly from alpha to production (skipping beta) if you want.
You can upload an apk production and hide ?
No, once in production is there. You can only update it or unpublish it. Unpublishing is like hiding. (if that is what you meant - you can later republish it.) But, then you wont be able to also publish alpha or beta i guess.
Related
We recently decided to update our new application for Beta release on google play,
Now after reading the guide, there were some questions that I had in my mind and wanted to know more about them, I googled for further understanding found some answers but there are still somethings that I wasn't sure about so decided to put this question up:
For Beta releases is it possible to make a beta release that is available to all the google play users(as a normal production app) or will it be available to all?
(Since as per this guide it gives me an idea that the application will only be available to a set amount of users.)
Make sure users can join the tests. Your testers will need to have a Google account (#gmail.com) or a G Suite account to join a test.
Run tests internally. Use the internal testing track to push your app to up to 100 internal testers in seconds.
Once I release a beta application and I decide to now put it for production, will it be uploaded as a different application or the same also will the comments that were posted to the beta release google play app be visible on my production app?
(Didn't quite get anything in relation to this one.)
In one of the points, it said that my application should have a higher version code in the beta release then that of the production release, But if I have a higher version in that release would it not be the application that will be getting downloaded even when it might not be the most stable version? (this one actually confused me big time)
Check your Android App Bundle version number. For an app on the internal, closed, or open testing tracks to be available to testers, it must have a higher version code than your production version.
Is there a designated field where I can provide this email for the beta testers or can I just provide it in the description of the application?
Provide a channel for testers to send you feedback. For closed tests, offer testers the ability to provide feedback by email, at a website, in a message forum, or through another suitable mechanism.
For Beta releases is it possible to make a beta release that is available to all the google play users
You can release your app as an Open Beta, which anyone who wants can get access to (without being invited by you). See https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en (specifically the part Step 1: Set up test details - Open test: surface your test app on Google Play)
Once I release a beta application and I decide to now put it for production, will it be uploaded as a different application or the same
Same. There's no re-uploading - you just change the state of the release.
also will the comments that were posted to the beta release google play app be visible on my production app?
Testers can't leave public reviews on Google Play.
But if I have a higher version in that release would it not be the application that will be getting downloaded even when it might not be the most stable version?
Well, that's the point.They have opted in to be testers of your app, so they get the latest available version. If they want to revert back to only getting production versions they can opt out of the test program.
Is there a designated field where I can provide this email for the beta testers or can I just provide it in the description of the application?
This is explained on the page I linked to: Next to "Feedback channel," add an email address or URL to collect feedback from testers. Your app's feedback channel will be shown to users on your tester opt-in page.
Beta releases are just a different track on your app's page.
If you have a public beta program (you'll need to select that as your type), users will see a "Join Beta Program" card somewhere on your app's Play Store page when they visit it. This card should show up below the "Developer Contact" information.
If a user decides to join the beta program, they'll get any new versions you publish there just like a normal update. Beta users cannot leave reviews! Beta users can leave you, the developer, private comments, but unless they leave the beta program, they can't create a review or edit an existing one.
Once you promote your beta build to production, it'll be available to all users of your app as a normal update. Beta users won't receive an update, since they're already on the version you promoted, nor will they be pushed out of the beta program. If you upload an APK straight to production, beta users will receive it as well (they still won't be able to leave a review).
As for version numbers, you can't upload another APK to the Play Console unless it has a later version code than the latest one already uploaded. If you have version 7 in your production channel, you can't upload a new APK with version 7 to beta; it has to be version 8.
When you upload your app as a Beta version, The users who joined your beta testing can upgrade to that version. The other users who have not joined beta testing, will no see any update for your app.
When you want to make the beta version as a production release, you can do so by simply clicking on Promote to Production option on Google Play Store.
With concern to your confusion, when you have some apk in beta version (say versionCode 2), then you can promote that app as a production, or you can also upload another apk as a production but remember, that should have greater version code (say 3). If you do so, then all users will get that update including beta testers. That will be an update to the same app.(I think you're doubtful here) Hope this helps.
We have users on android (through alpha testing on google play) and iOS through testflight. We are almost ready to release our app, how can we move the current pilot users to the production app?
If you increase the version code to a higher version than the alpha version code, and publish an empty set of APKs to the Alpha channel on Google Play, then the Alpha users will all upgrade onto your production APK. I can't answer for iOS.
I have an Android app on Google play store with alpha and beta testers (in addition to production) and so far everything was working well.
I am trying to add a new user to the closed beta testing list on google play store. This user is already using the app on production.
For some reason, although his email address is in the beta testing list, he cannot see and download the version that is published to beta. (Only the version on production).
Any reason for that or a way to fix this?
Edit:
I continue to experience this problem: Once a user have already downloaded the app on production, he cannot become a beta tester. Does that make sense?
After chatting with a Google Play representative, I have finally solved the mystery:
First, a user must uninstall the production app and only then he will be able to see and download the alpha/beta version through the Play Store. (He must also follow the invitation link of course).
Second, surprisingly, when you promote a version from alpha to beta - alpha testers can no longer download this version. More precisely, according to the representative -
"When you promote to beta the testers need to opt-out of the alpha test using the same opt-in link, then uninstall the app from their device, and wait 24 hours"
This in some of the cases was my problem since I assumed alpha testers can still have access to the new app version after it is promoted to beta.
There is a way to have both production and beta versions.
You need a fresh beta release, which means its build code should be higher than your production release.
You need to invite/add the beta testers, ask them to follow the link to take part in the testing etc.
The beta testers need to wait few hours for the beta release to roll up. Probably also have to remove the production version.
I have published an app in Google Play in Production mode. Now, I have a new version which I want to be release in Beta mode for my limited number of private beta users. Is it possible to have them both? i.e. version 1.0 in production mode and version 1.1 in beta mode? Or should I maintain a different app for beta (which is not convenient, as I need to change package names).
you can have both, technically you can have 4 apks available to users and depending on other requirements can have even more than that.
Alpha - alpha testers who opt in can test it
Beta - beta testers who opt in can test, can be different from alpha
Staged Rollout - percentage of users can download
Production - all users, or latest version
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en
Is it possible to have them both?
Yes. It is possible to have them both.
However,
i.e. version 1.0 in production mode and version 1.1 in beta mode?
It prioritizes the larger version code. So if your version code in Production is 1.0 and 1.1 in Beta, what you will see in Play Store is the one in Beta. Regardless whether it is Open Beta Testing or Communities. Haven't tried the Closed Beta Testing
Or should I maintain a different app for beta (which is not
convenient, as I need to change package names)
In my case, I already have an app in Production until I decided to add in-app products, so I uploaded the in-app version in Beta. It turns out that it has the same package name appearing in Play Store. What I did was to deactivate first the product and disable Beta. When the app is ready, then upload it to Production and have the product activated.
As an additional thought on versionCode, let me share this answer
Yes, you can have both. Google play do not restrict
I have a published apk in production say version 1.0. Now I added some more features in app and before publishing in production I want to publish it in Alpha testing. However, I want to ensure that this (alpha version) will not be available publicly and previous production version will remain available to everyone on play store. Will it be?
Yes, the alpha version will only be available for the Alpha testers. You can add Alpha testers using Google Groups and Google+ Communities.
Non-alpha testers will download the published app(version 1.0), until you move the Alpha version to production.
You might want to keep in mind that the alpha stage is only for APK's, and not for store listing etc. Updating screenshots will update them on all channels.
Your previous production version will remain in production and available to everyone!
If you add a new alpha version, it will not influence this.
The new alpha version will be only available for a group of people (googlegroups). You can add or remove alpha testers with this group.