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!
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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.
OK, so my company hired some broke company to develope the company's app. They developed a version for Android and for iOS. They published both versions under their developer account.
The thing is they offer a very poor service, so we have decided to get our own Developer licencenses and design a new app internally.
Our idea is to make a deal with the broke company, so they transfer the app to our account. I've read there is a procedure for this in both stores:
https://developer.apple.com/library/ios/documentation/LanguagesUtilities/Conceptual/iTunesConnect_Guide/Chapters/TransferringAndDeletingApps.html
https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/6230247?hl=en
My questions are:
Once the app is transfered to our account, can we substitute our new app for the old one, so it stays under the same name and keeps download statistics (I don't really care about ratings).
Is there any way the current app users can get an update notification linking to the new app if we don't have the old app's source code?
For the Apple App Store, this is entirely possible if they're willing to transfer the application to you (and the process is pretty simple!), but it appears you've already found that documentation. From a user's perspective, nothing changes; the app stays on their phone, and won't change at all. The next time you push an app update, even if the app has been entirely written behind the scenes, as long as you're publishing it to the same listing, users will receive the update as normal (App Store notification) and be none the wiser that ownership has changed. The only difference an end user would see is the "sold by" line in the store listing, if they checked.
I haven't tried the process on the Android Play Store, but from the description and the linked document, it appears the process would be the same. I mean, the link specifically says:
When you transfer apps to a different account, your apps' users, download statistics, ratings and reviews, content ratings, and store listing information are all transferred to your new account.
So, it looks to me like you'll be all good. One thing to note, though: even though you intend to do what's in your users' best interests by making the app "better," they've come to expect the app in the way it is currently. If you completely change the app in a single pass, they may be pretty shocked and turned off to it. Be careful about dropping an entirely new experience on them without warning.
Edit Note on the Android link, there was also this to keep in mind:
Our team can't transfer apps that offer subscription products.
If your app is subscription based, you may be out of luck on Android.
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.
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...
Could someone explain in technical details how an android application handles updates ? . What kind of information does the application usually needs to send to request an update , and what does it receives back ? .
Updates to applications themselves are handled centrally by the Market application. You upload your updated apk to the Market via the website, and your users will be prompted to upgrade over the next couple of days.
This is why it is very important to retain your .keystore file with which you sign your apps. If you don't have this signature, you cannot update your apps for security reasons.
Your application doesn't need to contain any update logic of its own.