Google Play app searching filter - android

I found Google Keep from the Google Play on my device.
However, after reinstalling the Android system, I can not find Google keep from the Google Play and it shows that "Your device is not compatible with this version"
I am very confused for this searching result while the same device ran well with this app before.
I can understand there are several ways to install this app on my device again.
A couple of questions confuse me..
How can I check the features that this app may change in the new version? This may cause the reason why I can not find it in the Google Play.
Will that be any possibility to modify my device source code in order to find this app on the Google Play in my device?
Thanks
I just found that shouldnt the permission(feature) issue because I can find and install other apps which require more permissions than Google Keep.

The permissions that have anything to do with hardware are:
record audio (needs microphone)
precise location (GPS)
control vibration
If your phone has these features and runs Android 4.0 and up, it should be compatible.
I see two possible reasons:
After reinstalling you have an older version of Android. If this is the case, check for updates and after updating it should work
Your device model may have been blacklisted because of compatibility issues. In this case, Google may find a solution in the future and Keep will become available.
You can install Keep anyway, sideloading it. You just have to download the .apk from somewhere (Google it and be careful for malware).

Related

Prevent install for specific manufacturer-API combination

We use a 3rd party SDK that crashes 100% of the time on Asus devices running Android 7.0 (we can't get rid of the SDK). The same device running 7.1 will not crash. I know I can block specific devices using the Google Play Developer Console, but I'd rather not block the devices since there's a chance that they either haven't updated to 7.0, or they have been updated to 7.1.
I asked Google Play support if there was something I was missing in the console, and they said it's not possible to block a manufacturer-API combination from the dev console. However, they said there was a way to do so using the manifest, but that they weren't qualified to tell me exactly how. I haven't been able to find any information on this. The docs mention how to declare restricted screen support using the manifest, but nothing about a manufacturer.
Does anybody know a way to accomplish this using the manifest?

"Google Play services are updating" error on release, not emulator (Google Play Services 12.6.73, Huawei devices)

I'm facing the same issue as in Stack Overflow question "Google Play services are updating" in Google Maps API.
Unfortunately, out of nowhere, some of my users are suffering this issue, as well as my own phone. On the other hand, for other users it seems to work perfectly fine.
This issue appears only on maps in my app.
I've tried to clean Google Services's cache on my own phone - still nothing.
On my emulator it works fine.
I've searched all over the Internet and haven't managed to find a working solution for this.
The most important part is this: Most of the solutions that I've found were ones that needed to be done on a specific device, like cleaning a cache and then restarting the phone. But, when we are talking about an issue that occurs and harm a large portion of my users - there has to be a solution on which I can use in order to help them all at once, by myself, without them needing to do some actions on their own phones.
Otherwise, it would be very frustrating for them, and it would make some of them uninstall my app, and because of what? A bug that I have nothing to do with? Everything worked just perfectly fine until about two days ago, and I didn't make any changes to my app since then at all... so... why?
This bug is reported by many people in the Google issue tracker. It looks like a wide range of Huawei devices is severely impacted by the latest Play Services update to version 12.6.73. Apparently something changed on the Google side and they are currently investigating what is happening.
The issue is tracked in the following bug:
Authorization Failure in Google Maps Android API v2 (Google Play Services 12.6.73, Huawei devices)
Star the bug and follow messages from Google engineers.
UPDATE 2018-05-15
Some messages from the bug
Have just got off the phone to Google and Huawei. Huawei seem to be
admitting responsibility. They told me there is an EMUI update due in 1 to
2 weeks that should fix "all google maps issues".
Also ah...#google.com states
Google has been able to reproduce the problem on a physical device and is now focusing on addressing the root cause through either a fix or other mitigation.
It looks like Google and Huawei have to look into this issue together in order to provide a permanent solution.
UPDATE 2018-05-16
Google posted the following message in the bug
In collaboration with Huawei, Google engineers have identified the root cause of this issue as an unexpected change to the filesystem permissions. The issue can impact any Android app on a Huawei device which renders a Google map.
Our engineers are preparing a new version of Google Play Services which should resolve the problem. It will be targeted to devices running Android 7.0 Nougat, or higher. We will post another update with the status of the rollout.
Thanks for your patience.
UPDATE 2018-05-17
Finally good news from Google
We are pleased to report that a beta version of Google Play Services is ready. We believe this version mitigates the issue on Huawei devices running Android 7.0 Nougat, or higher. An important caveat is that each time the device is rebooted, you will need to wait about one minute before launching the affected applications.
Starting today at midnight (Pacific Time), the beta will be rolled-out to a segment of the community that has signed-up for the Google Play Services Public Beta Program. It will ramp to increasing segments of the beta audience over the next few days. We invite you to join the beta program at https://developers.google.com/android/guides/beta-program to obtain an early release of this and future versions of Google Play Services. Once beta testing is complete it will be rolled out in stages to all users.
UPDATE 2018-05-18
As a follow-up to our last update (comment#342), we believe this issue is fixed in Google Play Services version 12.6.85. If you are still encountering the problem, please ensure your device has this version installed.
As previously noted, there can be a delay (usually less than one minute) between the time the OS is finished booting and Google Play Services starts. If you launch one of the affected apps during this window, it may not render a map. If this happens, re-launch the app after a minute or so. Subsequent launches of the app should succeed every time.
FINAL UPDATE 2018-05-22
As of 10:00 AM (PDT) on May 21, 2018, Google Play Services version 12.6.85 was pushed to 100%, following the initial beta rollout. We believe this resolves the Google Play Services issue on all impacted Huawei devices.
Huawei is working on a longer term solution which is beneficial to its users and developers.
We apologize for this incident and the impact it may have caused. We are conducting an internal investigation of this issue and will make appropriate improvements to our systems to help prevent future recurrence. Stay tuned for an Incident Report.
AFAICT there is nothing an app developer can do to fix it. As #xomena mentions in her answer Google is working on it.
Just to add the complete solution for an end-user here:
go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > App > Google Play Services > Storage
click Clear Cache
go to Manage Space and click Clear all data
Be aware that the issue reappears if you reboot your device
Someone created a video you can refer your users to at https://youtu.be/VgMtZnyem5Y
It's is going to be fixed soon, guys:
https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/79405933
Go to Settings → App → Google Play Services, and disable it to go back to the factory version.
Restart the phone and go to Google Play Store to do the update on Google Play Services.
It works for me. I can see the Google map again in a third-party app. If it says uninstall/disable, do that.
There is nothing you can do at this time, except clear Google Play Service data (without rebooting the phone). At the next reboot, maps services get updated, and the issue will be there again.
We just can wait for Google to fix it with a mitigation update, and Huawei give users new firmware via OTA that better comply with the last Google API without what seems like an "authorization" issue.
Today Google released version 12.6.85 on the beta channel which fixes the map bug.
You can suggest your user to subscribe as a beta tester:
https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.google.android.gms
Or direct download on APK mirror:
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services/google-play-services-12-6-85-release/google-play-services-12-6-85-040408-197041431-android-apk-download/
I tried disabling to restore to the factory version - unfortunately this means most of my apps required Play Services will not run, and I can't seem to reinstall the latest version.
I am using Honor 7x.

Android app deployment on over 100 devices

We have a fleet tracking Android app which is isntalled on around 100 mobiles.
Problem is to update each mobile whenever there is a patch release. And unfotunately we have not set auto-update.
Now we need to call each driver and follow the process of update from google play.
This is becoming very tedious as they have to go to google play, search the application and install/update it.
And the mobiles are located all over the country.
Before it was easy as Goolge play was giving an option to know the apps installed on each mobile.
Need your advice on how do we manage/automate this update issue.
Build an in-app push notification that there's a new version and have an easy link to Google Play from it. However, this does have a bootstrapping problem, and you will have to make everyone install the new version manually (as in you call them and ask them to do it) at least once. Still, this is your only viable option, as Google Play developer agreement prohibits pushing app updates through other channels.
If you have email or IM contact with the drivers, you can also send them a message there's a new version with the direct link to the Google Play. They will have to open it on their device, of course.
The link format should be market://details?id=com.mycompany.myapp, https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mycompany.myapp, or http://market.android.com/details?id=id=com.mycompany.myapp. Either of these three in general should work, though some OEMs have messed up their devices configuration and prevent Google Play app from intercepting the http/https form properly.
You could check a text file located on a server or something like that and then lookup if the current instaleld version is the same as the server version. If not you could download the new apk and open it. As far as I know this is not allowed by Google Play so you must remove the app from google play

Updating multiple android device OS with a script or a shell command

I am working on a project that we use internally in the company. We have a single target device and at this time and that is the Google Nexus 7.
I need to find the quickest and least painful way to update the
android OS on every one of them (we are talking about a couple of
hundred of devices).
I am also looking for suggestions on how to distribute the app
version and updates afterwards. Updates are not something i want to
do through my app, that is implementing some code that will check
and download updates.
I already tried TestFlight which i feel takes too long to setup on each device,
Also tried Deploying through the Google Play beta program but the updates take too much time to show up, plus the setup is kinda wierd (i feel this is the best way to do it). i know of the google play enterprise apps distribution, but i need to have a google account linked to google apps and a developer account so i haven't tried that still.
I also was looking into https://www.push-link.com/ which seems interesting. Any alternative?
Any suggestions are really appreciated!
Thanks

Google Play install error - Missing shared library

I have an app with 100k~ downloads on Play, which I started to develop like a year ago. Back then, it had the default crappy android UI. A month ago, I decided to include the ActionbarSherlock+HoloEverywhere libraries, so it could provide a much better user experience, with the Holo UI. Here comes the problem.
I got a few user reports, that they cannot update, since Play is keep telling them, their device is incompatible with the app. NOTHING changed besides adding and using the above mentioned libraries, so their device SHOULD still be compatible with my app. Here is what I know, and tried so far, including reports from the most helpful user, who cooperates with me, and want to use the app.
his old device broke, so it got replaced, and he couldn't install the updated version
on the new device, he can't install the old versions, which he could on the old device
the mentioned device is an atab5 MTK6577
the minimum API level is currently 8 (Android 2.2)
my app requests the following permissions:
android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE
android.permission.INTERNET
the features the device has to got are the following:
android.hardware.LOCATION
android.hardware.location.GPS
android.hardware.TOUCHSCREEN
I found a nice tool (http://codekiem.com/2013/02/13/market-helper/) , which I asked the user to try if he can trick Play to install the app, he did, and the app finally installed
after the installation, he got a new error message, "Missing shared library", so he still couldn't run the app
after some research, I found that some device may not have proper Google Maps api, or something like that, but it can be fixed by adding Google Apis to the apk, by explicitly adding Google Api to the Build path
I sent him the newly compiled apk, the new error message is: "Application not installed"
the user has problem with more apps, not just mine, typically with apps that uses GPS, and I guess Google Maps too, so it may be a device fault
as a side-note, I am using standard MapActivity, not the ActionbarSherlock mapactivity, but since the problem is there for the old, non-holo version of the app too, it shouldn't matter
Is there any way for me, to solve the issue on my end? I dont really care, if he still won't be able to run another apps, if he can use mine. Of course, if all his problems would be solved, that is the best case, but my priority is, can I add something to my apk? Or, what is the problem here? A corrupted Google Maps?
Thanks in advance, cheers
after the installation, he got a new error message, "Missing shared library", so he still couldn't run the app
This will come from some <uses-library> element in your manifest.
but it can be fixed by adding Google Apis to the apk, by explicitly adding Google Api to the Build path
Um, no, that will not work.
Is there any way for me, to solve the issue on my end?
Other than by switching to something like OpenStreetMap, no.
A corrupted Google Maps?
More likely it is a device (or ROM mod) that has pirated versions of various Google apps, such as Google Maps, and therefore did not set up the Maps SDK add-on properly.

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