I am developing a PhoneGap app, and I need to query Google Play for the app version to inform users that they can upgrade (if their version is not the latest one). I need to perform this query from javascript. I read many threads on this topic, and I didn't find a "yes" answer. All the answers are "no". This doesn't make sense to me because informing users about a new version is basic functionality (even the Apple Store has REST services to retrieve app metadata). Could someone let me know if this kind of service exists in Google Play?
Related
So, what actually happened is that, I had an app named X on Google play. It was getting around 400 downloads everyday and it was just 3.5 months from its launch when Google suspended it due to some policy violation.
The app X was getting very popular among the users. So the users started to demand the app again. Therefore what I thought is I should distribute it using some other medium or maybe create own website for the app.
And here is the main question. My app was using in-app purchases and also some firebase features. Now I would have to implement some other type of payment gateway and will also need a server. And my app is already on Firebase. So, its the best option for me to use it. But, I am little afraid, that if I keep using firebase, will it be safe ? Are there any chances that Google will close my firebase project as well ?
It is safe to keep using firebase as your app violated the policy of Google Play not your firebase project and as you told you are thinking to distribute your app through website so it's totally safe. Also if it makes you feel any better my app was also suspended from Google Play but i can still use my firebase project & it's related services.
The Background
My app is heavily dependent on Firebase. I use most of the services like Authentication, Realtime database, Storage, Analytics, Crash Reporting and more.
Everything works fine so far, but I have a doubt regarding a particular scenario.
The Problem
As Firebase was introduced in Play Services 9, what will happen to those devices who have still not updated to Play Services 9.
How will my app work on those devices as my app is heavily dependent on Firebase?
How does Firebase cater to the scenario of backporting?
Or should the developers some how check the version of Play Services and request the user to update?
How will my app work on those devices as my app is heavily dependent on Firebase?
When installing the application, it will prompt them a message saying that this app requires a higher version of Play Services. So it will work properly.
How does Firebase cater to the scenario of backporting?
Firebase needs a minimum API of 9. If the device doesn't support anything that's missing from the device, it will simply tell them, so you don't have to worry.
Or should the developers some how check the version of Play Services and request the user to update?
NO, Android does this for you.
i have edited my answer to make things a bit more clear
1. How will my app work on those devices as my app is heavily dependent on Firebase?
Android automatically checks for the play services version that is currently installed in the user's device and prompts the user to update to the play services version that the application was built with Firebase.
2. How does Firebase cater to the scenario of backporting?
Firebase explicitly outlines the latest version of play services as a prerequisite for building with it, there is no information on the docs about back porting so I don't think it is possible at the moment.
3. Or should the developers some how check the version of Play Services and request the user to update?
I wouldn't recommend this as Android already checks and pops up a play services error. However it is quite possible to check the version of play services and request the user to first update it in order to use your application, more info on this can be found on this link isGooglePlayServicesAvailable(Context)
I would like to add a feature on my existing Android app, that allows old users to not pay (In-App Billing) for a new functionality that i am adding to the Application upgrade,
What i intend to do is:
Check if user has ever downloaded the app, if user has, allow user to use the new feature for free:
If this is a first time download, then user may have to pay(In-App Billing) for the new feature.
I haven't, so far, seen anywhere where someone can query Google play for this.
I found this as related to the idea
can an android app in store (Google play or other) be free for existing users who have it preloaded and paid for others? . But it doesn't really specify if i can query installer information from Google Play.
Basically is it possible to query Google Play and see if a user has ever installed my application... Yes, No, Maybe...
I want to publish my app game version 2.0 in google play. And there is already a version 1.0 here. My game is a online game, so i have a game server myself of version 1.0 the app connected to.
My question is. When a publish my app version 2.0, it cost about a day until it is available in google play. Can't I specified a time my app v2.0 available in google play so i can update my game server at the same time, because my client and server version must be same.
Any one has any solution?
One way is to serve the update yourself via your own server. If you have this setup on your existing app in the play store, awesome. Otherwise you have to have to push an update to the old app ASAP (through the play store) that is compatible with your current game server, that will contain this check on your apk server.
You will have to check the server version, and if it's been updated, fetch the updated app. Also add some code that checks if the apk server is providing a binary or redirecting you to another url. If it's the latter, you can have your app open a browser to open that link (as to why you want to do this, read on.)
Let it settle down a bit (2 days should be enough), then update both your game server and play store app at the same time.
Now you can modify the apk server so that it redirects everyone to the play store link of your app.
Users that were updated through the apk server may be prompted with a new version in the play store again, though the update doesn't really add anything (AFAIK there's no way to query if an update is available in the play store through the play store itself). Also I don't know how Play Store checks for an update -- if it's just the version code and version name from the manifest, they may not be served with the update anymore (which is good).
Users that were not updated through the apk server but were able to get the patch for the server checking mechanism will now run the app and find that they'll be redirected to the playstore, of which they will now download the update.
The only limitation with this solution is that users that were not able to get the server check mechanism patch may have to figure this out for themselves that they need to update via play store. You can help them by sending a notification email regarding the update.
There is no way to do this short of requesting it of Google themselves. A release/update isn't instantaneous worldwide either; the speed will differ by region. I assume this is as there are multiple data centres delivering the data.
If you have the resources, you could run both versions concurrently for 24-48 hrs while the update gets validated by Google and propagates.
Otherwise I think you will have to be offline to some users for a period. You should announce the downtime through whatever form of communication you have with your users in advance.
Yes, you can pick a specific time to publish your app now.
Answered here
For more info
In recent talk with client, we got an interesting question, if we are able to release new version of application to current users.
We can get certificates for Android Market / App Store, to release application with same signature, but previous supplier is a business enemy, so we want to migrate all users they currently have on the application to our version, via standard update mechanism.
Is this possible? To migrate application to another developer/publisher account and to release an update (which can be completely different, from previous version) so that iTunes/Market update will download and install the new version instead?
I'm looking for solution on both platforms Android Market and Apple App Store, even if it would be necessary to pay some fees and so.
I can only answer for the Android Market:
If you have the release-keys of your old application, you can develop a new application, sign the application with the old key and everybody will be able to upgrade. Of course it will be your job to read the old data, which is saved on the device and transform it to a format which your new app can read, but thats a implementation issue. You will also need access to the google account which was used to upload the application. Google can transfer the account ownership on request.
So: If you got the release-keys, its possible on Android. Otherwise, I'm quite sure that you wont find a solution, you can not upgrade applications if the old and the new version are signed with different keys.
(For android) I have not done this, but without Google's intervention, it would require access to the key that was used to sign the app and the android market account that was used to load the app. If you have those two things, it is possible. Without those, you will probably have to create a new app.