Google Play has an automatic update system for apps. When a new version is uploaded to the Developer Console the app is updated on user devices because the new versionCode is greater than the one that is already installed. But users could get a newer apk from other sources.
I would like to know some details about this automatic process, I mean:
A-Does Google Play keeps a value inside so it remembers what versionCode of an app it has officially installed?
or
B-Does Google Play inspects all installed apks so it can compare the version codes to the current versions officially provided by the developers on Google Play?
Note the difference:
-in the A case, it just remember what it officially installed but is not informed about the real versionCode the user has on the device; so it could try to update even when the user already got a newer apk from outside Google Play (fail);
-in the B case, the update system can understand what version in installed because it checks it; so the update doesn't even start if the user upgraded an app from outside the Google Play.
Which is the real case?
It is case A - Google remembers which version of the app was last installed.
It does not check the device every time for the latest installed version.
How to verify this?
If you ever factory reset your phone or flash a ROM, go to play store from your browser and open an app page which you'd installed before you flashed the ROM or did a factory reset. It will still show as installed, although you wiped your device clean and it is not installed anymore.
Related
Noticed this very strange behavior with my android application
Installed app from play store with version name 3.1 App is working
fine.
Due to new correction,I've installed App via USB connection or by
sharing apk files with same version name.
App is working fine with newly added features but
After certain time/days i found that the newly added feature is
gone and I'm using the play store version...
Additional info:
The same issue occurred in android version 11,12,9 followed by the above process.
However, I have no idea why would it is happening and how to prevent this behavior.
visited this below link for the similar issue and found nothing related to my issue.
Why does Android app rolls back to a previous version after device shutdown?
My guessing is your play store has a function that called update automatically which is opend,your apk on Phone is version behind the play store version
Found the solution for this Silly Issue.
from last one month i observed that my release apk which is not in production but has the same version name was auto updated to production version i it is for all the apk user.
I tried to disable the of google play store setting of auto update and after few day is not replaced by the production version.
:)
A few weeks ago, I've changed an App from internal testing to open testing on Google play. Lets call it build 20. Since then a few updates have been published and now the current version is build 27.
Yesterday I've noticed that if you download the app from Google Play, you'll get build 20 installed. The question now is: How can you ensure that Google Play delivers the most recent version when installing the app? Is there a way to force it?
A workaround to get the latest version is to visit the "My apps and games" section at the play store app, where the just freshly installed app shows up under available updates. Pushing the "update" button installs the app's latest version (build 27). However, it would be nice if the Play store would deliver the most recent version during initial installation. Do you have any ideas how to make this happen?
When you change from the Internal or Open testing stage to the Production stage, make sure that Staged roll-out is 100%
Of course, it takes several hours to distribute all new users or existing users
I have gone through two situations and finding hard to understand the issue/working behaviour. Wish some one could help please!!
I am part of Android Beta testing program and installed the Beta build onto my device, say version 2. I was prompted to download App from Play Store which has version 1 (Version 2 is in Beta closed testing). I am quite confused with the process, higher version being prompted to download lower version. Should this be the expected behaviour and how does the flow work really?
One of my colleague was part of Android Beta testing program and had the Beta build (Version 2) installed onto his device. Later App was released to Play Store (No build exist in Beta Closed testing). Build in App Store and Beta build in Device are Version 2, but the user is Prompted to download the App on Every launch. User has deleted Beta build and downloaded App from Play Store, but still the prompt appears to download. Why is this behaviour experienced and how to avoid this issue please?
Got the issue sorted, it was to do with App itself, We have Force upgrade service in our App and was mistakenly enabled for latest version which prompted users to download on every launch.
I have an Android app in alpha testing; I have uploaded updated APKs a few times. My testers report that they still get the previous version, not the latest one, even though the Developer Console says the latest version is the right one - the latest I uploaded a few days ago - and doesn't say "Processing update" any more.
Is there anything I should advise my testers to do on their devices, and can I do something at my end?
I couldn't install the latest public version of an app either, even after the alpha testing program for that app was ended. Then I manually left the testing program by going to the link where had I registered as a tester in the beginning.
In my app's case, the link was
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/np.com.naya.pasal
Mind to put your app id instead of np.com.naya.pasal in the above link
Your testers will get message like this when they have left the test. After a while they can install the latest version.
If you want to install old version of the app, then
Uninstall the app if you have already installed.
Then go to Google Play console > App bundle explorer. From there select app version and there you can see Shareable link to the app in Downloads tab. From that link you can install that specific app version.
I have a new version of my app on the market and an old one installed on tablet. I expect to see download/install option when I navigate to the application page on the market but instead I see "open" button as if the market version were already installed on the device. versionCode is incremented in market's version.
What could be a reason for this?
The version of your app installed using adb is probably not signed, or if it is the signature doesn't match the one on the app in the market. First need to uninstall the version that was installed using adb then the market version should install without a problem.