I would like to control android app updates (app is published on Google Play). In my situation, automatic updates are turned off in Play Store, and user needs to search for updates (and install if available) manually - by click on button, menu item or else. Is there a way to implement this? (e.g. send request to Google Play or something like that)
Thanks in advance.
Michael.
I'm not sure Google support this, but since you know the application package, you can use a unoficial library to get information about your application (so the current version on the Play Store)
Here is the link to a library : http://code.google.com/p/android-market-api/
It seems to be a little old and I don't know if it's currently maintenaid
The best way is to implement a little WebService (or a simple page on a server) on your own and check against it
You can check it at the application startup and display a Dialog for instance
Related
I was considering Android InApp Update feature as an alternative solution for those clients who have turned off Auto-Updates from the PlayStore.
But I found it doesn't get the latest updates by itself. First I was considering that there's something bad in my code but later I found if I go to the PlayStore and fetch for the updates manually then it also shows me the update in my application.
If it's so then it's a useless feature or am I missing anything regarding this?
you cant update automatic but you can get the latest version of your app from playstore and show a dialog in your app to force update.. so when ever user open your app its show the update dialoge and you can also set this using api and check..
Programmatically check Play Store for app updates
Please paste your code here to verify if you are following everthing correctly. Meanwhile you can use this library to introduce in-app updates in your app. It's pretty simple to use and tested properly.
https://github.com/sohanzz/Easy-InApp-Updater
I would like to publish some update of my app on the Play Store, however since I will just change the default setting given at the beginning when a user install the app for the first time, I would like that these updates are not seen by current users (that would have to update the app for nothing). Is there a way to do it?
Thanks in advance.
No, there is no way to do that.
In future consider using some service which will provide a configuration for your app remotely (such as Firebase).
Introduction
I've deployed the first version of my app to the Play Store and now I'm going to change the version code and publish the next version. So, in general case, the Google Play will notify users about the update. But I want my app itself to check for the updates and take user to the Play Store.
Studies till now
I have read about the workaround , here , where the app checks for the latest version with your server but I don't want that.
Requirement
I just want my app itself to directly compare its version with version available on the Play Store, and if it is different, then prompt user to update the app. On confirmation, it will take the user to the Play Store.
Is there any way to achieve this?
Is there any way to achieve this?
Probably, but I would not try to implement this if I were you and here is why.
Users configure update settings themselves through google play app settings.
If they want app updates right way they can say so. If they want to confirm first they can say so. If they don't want to be notified of updates at all, they can say so.
In most cases users are already notified of an update of your app through google play notifications. There is no need to add a 2nd notification. Even worse - users that don't want to be notified of updates will be annoyed when you notify them yourself. You want to avoid that.
You will need a service call to
https://androidquery.appspot.com/api/market?app=YourPackageNameOnPlaystore
for example:
https://androidquery.appspot.com/api/market?app=com.google.android.youtube
the respnse which will be returned by playstore will contain version information which is present on playstore.
compare it with local app version and take further steps
Hope this helps!
Good luck!
Short answer: No. There is no such official API yet. But you can go for an unofficial one.
But still as you have mentioned you can go for your own API implementation and prompt the user to update the app. But take into consideration that users have their own preferences about updating the app and they may find such prompts annoying. #Tim Castelijns's answer explains it in detail.
I have an idea about updating App without through AppStore:
After publishing, the app has two main functions, loader function and app content function. If I want to fix some little bug, which is only one line code sometimes, or just need to change the background of APP UI, even some logic codes. In tradition solution that is updated the APP to APP store and notify the user to update it.
Is it possible, using the loader function to download changed app content from server?
Does Apple and Android allow to do it?
Thanks a lot.
You can't do that in iOS app. You should submit your next version app to access the new features. If you try to download codes or any other runtime content. Your App should be rejected.
Please refer the apple-review guideline here.
Thanks!
According to the google play Developer-Content-Policy:
An app downloaded from Google Play may not modify, replace or update its own APK binary code using any method other than Google Play's update mechanism.
No, you can not do it. If you want to make any change in the application, you will have to pass through store formalities to distribute the application to end client.
For iOS, you can go with enterprise distribution option, but using that you cant distribute the application outside your Organisation.
For customisable background or UI customisable, you can take help of server to receive configuration from server.
Does the android market (or Google Play as it's now) offer a way for an app to check if it's updatable?
It seems to take very long for people to notice (or care) to update their apps. I'd like to show some "Update available" notify inside my app.
I could just have some file on a webserver stating the latest version. But this has the obvious chance of pissing people of if they click the "update available" button and are then taken to market which doesn't yet have the update.
So is there some nice API or other brilliant ideas?
Actually, Android Market takes a very good care of updating your application. Users are notified as soon as your update is available, and if they decide to ignore the notification, it's their decision.
If you are looking for alternative methods of updating your application, I'd suggest to check this thread.
No, Google Play store is a closed system and it does not expose an API to check version number since it takes care of updating installed apps whenever updates are available. However can be done by having a web service which keeps us updated on current version of android app on google play store and then compare the installed app version with the version we got from web service. Please have a look at https://code.google.com/archive/p/android-query/wikis/Service.wiki