How to Submit an Application to Google Play Guide and Checklist for Non-Developers
Without a doubt, one of the biggest marketplaces for Android app distribution, marketing, and sales is Google Play.
In addition to being thrilling, releasing your Android app on Google Play is an important step in the application development process that affects the app’s eventual success. Will people download and install your app, will it be submitted, and will it be popular? The success of your release will determine all of this and more.
We covered the basic procedure for app publication on the App Store and Google Play in our earlier post, publication on App Stores. This article delves further into Google Play’s criteria while concentrating just on Android applications. To find out how to publish an app on Google Play.
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1. Prior to starting
Make sure your Android app is ready from a technical and legal standpoint before releasing it on Google Play.
Technical requirements
Level of the Target API
The desired API level criteria must be met by new apps. It can’t be too low. The latest Android version that an app is intended to work with is indicated by the target API level, commonly referred to as the target SDK version.
Some backward compatibility behavior could be used if the user’s device’s Android version is more recent than the app’s target level. It is common to anticipate enhanced security with the addition of additional permissions and limits in later Android versions. For instance, the developers developing the code a few years ago had no way of knowing whether an action wasn’t permission-protected up to that point but began to be protected from a certain API level forward.
App versions that have previously been released shouldn’t stop working after these modifications. Nonetheless, both newly developed applications and updated versions of existing ones must to adhere to the most recent guidelines.
Remember that raising the target API level involves more than simply changing a configuration file value. Having an established codebase may make the process very time-consuming. Furthermore, third-party libraries may potentially be impacted in addition to the application’s source code. For this reason, it’s critical to regularly update the software and pay off any technological debt.
Bundles of apps
All new applications must utilize the App Bundle (AAB). The sole usage for this format is for uploading to the Google Play Store. An installable app variation tailored to the user’s device and system is created by its backend. For instance, non-matching screen density files won’t be supplied, which will make the program smaller and install more quickly.
Uploads of APK files will not be permitted. Additionally, OBB (APK expansion files) will not be supported. Play Asset Delivery or Play Feature Delivery has replaced them.
The AAB format may simply be used in place of the APK in the majority of applications, not only games. The usage of the previously stated APK expansion files and a program size more than 150 MB are the only obvious exceptions.
Legal requirements
To be released lawfully via the Google Play Store, your software must adhere to both US legal requirements and the terms of service. We will shortly produce a special page that covers all of those restrictions, so for now, we will just provide some broad guidance.
The Developer Policy Center contains information on important subjects including intellectual property, restricted material, and what constitutes prohibited spam or malware. Videos and even interactive lessons are available there. Additionally accessible is the official distribution agreement.
The app must comply with US export regulations, which is another crucial detail. The program must be exported in order to be made available to users in other countries, since the Google Play Store servers are situated in the United States. Even if your software isn’t accessible to users in the United States, this is still necessary. If your software makes use of cryptography, you should pay particular attention to this.
For instance, the PGP project was temporarily unavailable for usage outside of the United States. Additional information on export compliance is available on the US Bureau of Industry and Security’s official website and in Play Store documents.
Remember that your app must also adhere to local regulations in the nations where your clients reside. The GDPR regulations in EU/EEA nations are the most well-known. These are known to be enforced; for instance, Facebook was fined £8.9 million by Italian authorities for deceiving its app’s users.
2. The metadata
We may presume that your software is legally and technically qualified to be released on the Play Store if you have made it this far. First, let’s discuss the appropriate publishing!
Details of the app
Three text fields make up an app’s primary store listing:
Up to 50 characters for the app name
A brief synopsis of no more than 80 characters
Up to 4,000 characters for the whole description
They may all be translated to one of the available locales (a language and optional region combination), and they are all required. The same collection of words (as well as the visuals discussed later in this article) may be sent to many locations using customized listings.
In addition to marketing-related considerations, you must adhere to the metadata specifications.
You should specifically refrain from employing copyrighted terms (such as names of other businesses) and generating a visual distraction. Remember that you may expedite the review process by providing prior notification if you have authorization to utilize restricted material (such as third-party intellectual property or content designated for governments).
Don’t overlook search engine optimization, or SEO. Users may have problems utilizing search engines to locate the app if its name is very close to an unrelated term. For instance, the search results would probably start with hundreds of applications with names that start with Super if you have an app called Souper that has soup recipes. Naturally, this might alter if you use paid advertising and/or other SEO-related strategies.
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Cost
At the outset, you must decide whether your app will be free or paid. You may alter that setting from paid to free at any moment, but not the other way around!
It is not possible to charge for an app once it has been released as free.
Keep in mind that in-app purchases are still possible with free apps. Note that in some regions, it is not possible to receive money from users. These are mostly those that the United States has imposed economic sanctions on, like Cuba or Iran. The Play Store documents include the most recent list.
When deciding on the precise pricing, use caution. Value restrictions are distinct for every supported currency. Equal absolute values in all currencies could not be achievable if a sum is near the maximum or lower limit. The lower limit is about two times greater in CHF since the latter is around 0.91 EUR (based on the exchange rate in effect at the time of writing). The official table contains the most recent limitations.
Visual resources
For store listing reasons, you must provide the app icon and screenshots (more material is required for TV and daydream-enabled applications). Another option is to provide a link to a YouTube video. These resources are meant to draw attention to and advertise your app.
Even outside of Google, the app could be pushed by default. However, by adjusting the Play Store console’s settings, you may choose not to receive such external marketing. Note that this update may not be effective for up to 60 days.
Every asset must adhere to the Developer Program Policies. Additionally, they must not infringe upon any intellectual property rights or employ prohibited aspects, such as badges that mimic those offered by the Google Play Store, such as Editors’ Choice.
App icon
The launcher icon, which you ought to already have, is often what the app icon on the Play Store looks like. The distinction is that shop listings need a greater quality (512 x 512 pixels).
A hint: all of the icons, including the high-resolution one for the shop and the regular one required for the launcher, can be created using the Android Asset Studio, which is included within the Android Studio IDE.
A feature illustration
It is an opaque 1024 x 500 image that appears in several locations on the Play Store website and mobile app. It should highlight the main idea of your game or app. The documentation has further recommendations.
Screenshots
You must include a minimum of two screenshots of your application. For any device type that the app supports—phone, 7-inch tablet, 10-inch tablet, TV, and wearable—you may add up to eight of them. For more instructions, see the official documents. Before taking screenshots, be sure you activate demo mode.
A promotional video
Although not required, the video is advised, particularly for games. A video is shown on the listing before the screenshots, if it is there. Remember to stay away from copyrighted material and disable monetization to avoid seeing someone else’s commercial. The video can’t be private, of course. See the documentation for further details. This is an example of a Glovo app video:
Others
You also need a TV banner for applications that support Android TV. Similarly, a 360-degree stereoscopic picture is needed for applications that support Daydream.
Store configurations
You must choose a relevant category (such as Finance or Shopping) and up to five optional tags (such as Comics or Loan) to assist people find your app while they are perusing the store.
In order to assist users, you must also provide your contact information. This email address is necessary and may not be the same as the owner’s Google account address. You may optionally provide a website link and phone number as well.
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3. Policy for Content
Google must be aware of a number of details about the content in your app. For instance, this is required to properly handle the age limitations. Let’s examine those configurations!
Policy on privacy
This includes details on how you handle private information. When youngsters under the age of thirteen are part of your target audience, it is necessary. Lawyers often draft the privacy policy wording. But there are also guidelines accessible. Even if you exclusively target adults, local regulations (particularly the GDPR) may still demand a privacy policy, even if Google Play’s form validation criteria let you to go forward without one.
Commercials
You must disclose whether or not your app has any ads. Keep in mind that advertisements are not limited to banners and interstitials. Sponsored articles, for instance, are also considered advertisements.
Access to apps
If any portion of your app is limited, for example. You must provide reviewers instructions via geolocation or sign-in requirements.
Rating of the content
You must apply IARC ratings to your game or app. You will obtain ratings based on authority such as PEGI, ESRB, or USK after completing a questionnaire. Parents mostly use them to determine if an app is suitable for their kids.
The intended audience
The target age group or groups must be specified. Generally speaking, there are more criteria and questions to respond to the lower the age categories you choose. A privacy policy is necessary when targeting children under the age of thirteen. The families’ policy could be of interest to you if the software is made for both adults and children.
Policy for news
News is covered in the last part. If your app is a news app, this is all that is required. If so, you must abide by extra regulations. An application’s assertions of a connection with the publisher will be examined.
4. Identifying
Country-specific limitations
It can be necessary to restrict the access of your program based on geolocation due to copyright, licensing, or other legal agreements. By choosing certain cell providers, you may further fine-tune limits within a given nation. Each track—production, open (beta), closed (alpha), or internal testing—can have these limitations set up independently. See the official documents for further information.
Keep in mind that “country” refers to the one connected to the Google Play user account. It may not always match the location of the real user. It can only be set to the current country’s value at the time of setting, however, and not more than once a year.
Limitations on the device
Even though an app may theoretically match the criteria (such as the minimum Android version or the existence of hardware components like NFC), it sometimes turns out that it doesn’t function correctly on certain device types. The device catalog may be used to weed out such troublesome gadgets.
Advanced configurations
Additionally, you may add websites for App Indexing and set up Google Actions.
Settings for payments
You must create a payment profile if you want to utilize in-app purchases or sell your applications. In this instance, providing a physical postal address is also required.
Page for developers
Setting up the developer page is an optional option. Every app released from the same developer account has this feature. You must include your name, developer icon, header picture, and promotional content if you want to publish the page. Those fields can’t be empty.
Additionally, the aforementioned mailing address will appear on the developer page if you decide to make money off of your applications. You may also choose a highlighted app and optionally provide a website URL.
Take a look at how this appears in the Glovo case.
5. Technical parameters
If you want to know how to publish an app on Google Play, you need be aware of a few technical parameters in addition to the ones that are mostly business-related.
ID of the application
Every app has to have a distinct identity. For instance, it is eu.ccc.mobile for the CCC app. Users may be able to see the App ID, for example, in the links. The ID is reserved and cannot be used by anyone else when an app is submitted to the store. You may publish the new app with a different ID, but the ID cannot be modified. Thus, choose the ID carefully.
It may not be a good idea to include your ID or brand name in the app. For instance, rebranding may occur if you want to buy out another business or if you are bought out. The previous brand will always be present since the App ID cannot be altered. The documents include the technical specifications for the app ID.
Making a sign
Installing any software requires that it be signed. Since signing is often a large subject, a separate article would be required to completely define it. Here, we’ll only concentrate on the important details. These days, using Google Play app signing is the most straightforward method.
You may use the same key as another app on the same developer account, let the store produce the signing key for you, or provide your own key, which you must prepare in advance.
Usually, it’s enough to use a key that the store generates. In certain complex situations, such as bespoke permissions using signature protection, the same key may be required for many applications. These days, not many people utilize such products. Some older programs may need you to use your own self-generated key. Visit here https://www.businessinsider.com/
The final details
You have almost all the information you need to launch an app on Google Play.
You may wish to test the app with a limited user group or groups before making it available to the whole public. For that, you may create internal, closed, or open test tracks. Enabling API access to automatically upload app builds from the CI/CD pipelines could also be of interest to you.
Google examines every version of the software you publish automatically. For a few minutes, the robot traverses your app by mimicking simple motions and touches. It then creates a report prior to deployment. It is quite useful for identifying possible problems. It examines Android compatibility, security, performance, and accessibility, among other things.
Conclusion on how to publish an app on Google Play
Although it takes accuracy, app launching is not difficult. Don’t forget to prepare the app from both a technical and legal standpoint. If you are targeting youngsters, don’t forget about agreements and privacy policies. At Linkitsoft, The majority of the task is creating promotional texts and graphic assets if you are prepared with them. When selecting the phrase, keep SEO in mind.
