I have built an application that we will be selling to customers through the Google Play store.
We also have individuals in house that will support outside customers, and also use it in house. They need to have the application running on their own device. If I distribute it to them via an .apk file, can they receive updates via Google Play? Or do they have to purchase it through Google Play to receive updates?
Secondary question: Is there a better solution to distributing to internal users?
As curious myself and not having official info on this, I just did a test:
On Google Play I have an App at version 1.3.2
I've installed via ADB the version 1.3.0 on my device.
Opened Google Play > My Apps.
The update to version 1.3.2 was available.
Did the update
All seems to work normally.
So my word on this is: Yes they will receive the update (the app has to have the same signature of course).
Maybe you might just have a look on term of services if this isn't breaking any rules.
On the second question, the "better" solution may wary based on the company infrastructure which we don't know.
If the version on Google Play is identical to the version you distributed, signed with the same signature, and it is available as a free app, then Google Play can be used to update the version distributed outside of Google Play.
I received the following in an email from a member of the Google Play Team:
"The side-loaded apps used by your internal users will not receive updates from Google Play. You will need to provide them with the new APK in order for them to access the new features/functionality. This is working as intended to ensure that only users who have purchased a paid app will receive notifications and updates."
So: Paid for apps cannot be updated via Google Play if they are "side-loaded" (installed outside of Google Play).
Related
We received news from Google, that play store will no longer sho win Huawei.
Huawei has come up with another store called AppGallery . The question is, can same apk upload to Huawei AppGallery and the other still active in Play Store ?
It's possible to upload the same APK file to both Google Play Store and HUAWEI AppGallery. But if your app uses GMS features like Google Sign-In or Firebase Cloud Messaging, it won't work well on the devices that don't have GMS, like Mate 30, P40, and any other new devices. Huawei app reviewers won't set it visible on HUAWEI AppGallery.
It's recommended that you use GMS if a device supports GMS; otherwise, use HMS (Huawei Mobile Services).
Please refer to the following links:
To check whether GMS is available.
HMS Overview
An annoying challenge arises on devices where both Play Store and Huawei AppGallery are installed. I distribute the same app with the same signature, but different mechanisms for purchasing access to premium functionality. If a user has installed the app from Play Store, and has acquired an in-app purchase, unfortunately the AppGallery updates the app also for this user, thus making him loose the purchase.
You can use absolutely the same *.apk (not *.aab).
The only problem (at least for us) is the absence google services =( So if you use pushes or remote config or smt like this it might be a problem.
When it comes to firebase you can check services which require google services here
I am working of app support COSU app android. The app is working fine for me but I am not understand how user will update our app, because COSU app user can't access any other application even google play store. So now the question is that how user will update our application without google play access.
I have one solutin download app from our server, but in this case user will lose save data like the data we are storing in SharedPreference. Please guide me if you have any other solution for that. Thank in advence
According to Google's docs on COSU (Google Play app management), it is possible to "install, update, and uninstall apps using the Play EMM API". Under "Google-hosted private app management" it describes the ability to host private apps through Play that your users can install/update:
Simplifies the Google-hosted private app publishing and update
workflows available to all admins through managed Google Play, by
enabling admins to update Google-hosted private apps through the EMM console instead of through the Google Play console.
Enterprise admin can upload new versions of apps that are already published privately to the enterprise using the Google Play Developer Publishing API.
If you don't want to use Play for this functionality you can read the "Self-hosted private app management" section.
You can also look at "Managed Google Play" to publish private apps for your users: https://support.google.com/googleplay/work/topic/6145152
After you register for a Google Play Developer account and set up the correct administrator privileges to upload and publish the app to managed Google Play, you can use the Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) console to distribute the app to users.
Going the EMM route will let you update apps with the same functionality as regular Google Play apps where updates don't cause users to lose data. Unfortunately Google's documentation isn't detailed or centralized for this feature. Going through Google will also require that all of your devices are signed in to Google account in order to install apps or receive updates that you deploy though the EMM console.
Another option is to use a mobile device management (MDM) solution. If you have Samsung devices you can look into Samsung Knox which has a much simpler method for distributing your app: https://www.samsungknox.com/en/article/manage-apps
Another MDM option for single use apps is Mason (https://bymason.com/). Mason lets you upload your app, select any or all of your devices, and then deploy your APK to your users. When updating your app, all you have to do is increment your app version and the update functionality will be the same as a regular Google Play update. Your users also don't have to be signed in to a Google account.
If this sounds useful to you feel free to reach out to me trevor # bymason.com
DISCLAIMER: I work at Mason
I have an application and my company installs this application in the device and then sell it to customers.
Later on, when I host new version of the same application in Google Play store, whether Google Play store will be able to notify users that an updated version of the application is available?
And whether an application can be updated from Google Play store?
Yes.
Regardless of the method used to install the app (pre-installed, via direct APK, in debug from a computer, ...), if the Play Store has an app with the same package name, the same certificate and a higher version code, it will trigger the update.
Yes, it's possible to update pre-installed APK apps through Google Play Store. The app needs to have the same package name. Refer to this Android Developer support article, particularly the "Updating system apps" section
The user’s system apps (including any pre-loaded apps) are shown in
the My Apps section of the user's device in the Google Play store as
soon as an application with the same package name is uploaded to the
Google Play Developer Console, even if the application is unpublished
In order to use in app purchases on Android does the app have to be distributed via Google Play? To clarify, there are two questions:
If I create com.my.app and distribute it both via the Google Play store and via my own methods will apps installed either way be able to purchase in app purchases?
If I create com.my.app and only distribute it via my own methods will people be able to make in app purchases?
If you distribute the same APK with the same signature inside and outside Google Play so the app purchase should works. App purchase only works for APK version equal or lower the Play store.
Remember that Google Play apk should be installed on phones to app purchase works.
I wrote a small Android app. It is published on Google Play as two distinct versions
a free demo version with limited features
and the paid version without limitations
Now I have been approached by the distributor of a tablet who wants to pre-install my app on his device. Obviously, I want the owners of his product to benefit from later updates for my app.
Is there a way to pre-install the paid app on the device and still allow free updates to the app?
Thanks!
The pre-installed app has to be free. This comes verbatim from the Google Play Support site:
Unpublished Apps
Existing app users will still be able to receive app updates, even if
you unpublish your app. If you don't want new users to find and
download your app but still want to provide updates to your existing
users, set your app to Unpublished in the Developer Console.
Updating system apps
The user’s system apps (including any pre-loaded apps) are shown in
the My Apps section of the user's device in the Google Play store as
soon as an application with the same package name is uploaded to the
Google Play Developer Console, even if the application is unpublished.
Google Play can manage updates to preloaded applications, provided the
following conditions are met:
The preloaded app needs to be in the system partition
The preloaded app needs to be free
The preloaded app needs to be signed with the same signature as the app published in Google Play
The Package Name of the preloaded and updated app needs to be the same
The Version Code of the updated app needs to be greater than that of the preloaded app
This should happen automatically as long as you use the same signing key and package name.
You can test this and verify by doing the following:
Install the .apk file that you will be providing to the distributor
(lets call this 2.0).
Now upload 2.1 to Google Play (same signing key and package name)
When the user's automatic update checking runs, or when the user opens the package in Google Play, the update will be offered and work great.
The only case I have seen where this doesn't work is with cross-licensing. For example, if I license an App through the Amazon appstore, I will see updates in Google Play, but attempting to update will give me a "not paid" or "buy now" error.
In a common LVL implementation, if a user is not licensed, app should hang at start page and prompt user a dialog pointing them to purchase URL (can be opened via either Google Play client app or web browser).
For a paid app (LVL integrated and published via Google Play), if end user want to use it and keep receiving updates, he must use his Google account purchase it via either Google Play client app or Google Play web version.
The normal procedure to get paid app via Google Play client app is:
Purchase
Download
Install
Is there a way to pre-install the paid app on the device and still allow free updates to the app?
You can send them app-pro.apk file and let them install it without purchasing it first, however, when the app is first opened and in case that license check (requires Google Play client app installed on end user's device) is failed, the purchase dialog should popped up and ask them purchase it. Once the user has purchased it and open the app again and pass license check, he can start using it normally (with ability to update).
The answer is Yes, you can let user pre-install paid app, but in order to use it normally and keep receiving updates, the user must purchase it anyway.
I'm looking for solution for the same problem, and it appears to be impossible.
But I think I have a workaround:
Make your app free, with limited functionality, and offer advanced features ("pro" version) with in-app purchase.
For the in-app purchase version you can have a second licensing method. I'm not sure if it's allowed by Google Play terms, but technically this way you can support these two kind of users, and still have them update automatically through Google Play.