Can I create a test on play console where I can add testers by email, but they can download the app with their phone from the play store? - google-play

I would like to create a test on google play console, where I can specify the testers by email, like with internal testing, but only the added testers can download the app WITH their phone from the google play store?
Currently using internal testing requires the users to download the app from their computer, IF their phone is connected to their account. The app does not show up on the google play store on testers phones. If I have over 50 testers, going around the organization to help users download the app is not an efficient way in my opinion. I tried a beta test, which made my app go out to public, which I do not want. So, a test where I can allow only testers whos email i've added to the testers list to download the app from THEIR phone on the play store!

Internal testing does not require downloading from a computer. And beta testing does not make the app go public. What makes you think these things?
Even if an internal testing app does not show up in search, you can email a link to it that users can open on their phones.

Related

How can I test an older version of my app in Google Play Store?

I'm using Google Play Store to distribute an app.
For a certain issue, I would like to install an OLDER version of my app to one of the client's device.
I'm struggling to do so, is there any way to do that?
No matter how and which "testing" method I apply, Google Play automatically shows the HIGHEST version of the app which is the "release" version ignoring the old test versions.
Creating an APK would be NO way because I need Google Play's own signature in the apk to make things work (to test the things we would like to)
Is there any way at all to distribute my OLDER app version from Google Play store?
(By the way Google's testing methods are inexpressibly unusable even apart from this problem. You never see what really happens, you cannot really manage the testing channels the GUI is miserable the notification email is late the testing is slow and painful you don't see the version number in the Google Play Store, there are like 3 methods to do so and the difference between them is not self explaining, I give 1 start to the developers who made these parts of Google Play I hope they read this.)
Thanks in advance.
From Google Play Console go to App bundle explorer
Then choose the version you want to install
Go to Downloads tab
click on Copy sharable link
install it from you device using this link
Note: the device's Google Play account should be an internal tester and enable internal testing from Google Play on this device.

Publishing an app to Play Store and beta testing

I read about alpha/beta testing of apps in Play Developer Console. I have almost understood the concept of beta/alpha testing. Just have a question:
I want my app to be visible in Play Store but only those people can download it who are invited (like using email addresses or G+ communities). Seems like Alpha/Beta Testing hides the app from public.
But I have seen several apps (Can't think of the name) in Play Store with the text similar to This app is still in beta. Please wait until we reach more audience. And as expected there's no install button.
I want something similar to this. Public can see but only those can install who join G+ community.
Does open/closed beta testing provide such feature?

Does an app's APK have to be downloaded from Google Play to use Google Play services

Looking at the Google Play Services documentation, it doesn't say specifically whether an app has to have been downloaded from Google Play to use Google Play services or InApp purchasing.
Unfortunately virtually all my 200-400 a day free game app downloads are from sites like 'APKMonk' that download apk files directly without using Google Play (and don't ask permission for this). I get maybe 5 or 6 Google Play downloads a day, about 2% of the downloads, as I can't afford spending a load to Google to advertise and getting the download numbers for their top lists is practically impossible for independent developers otherwise.
Google Analytics and Admob serves have been working with these rogue downloads, but I'm getting no InApp purchases, even for free promo items, and very few leaderboard and achievement posts (12 leaderboard posts out of thousands of rogue downloads so far).
Is this because they didn't download from Google Play in the first place? Should I add a message to uninstall their apps and reinstall from Google Play?
It doesn't matter where they have been downloaded from.
For inApp purchases, it only matters whether they have Google play installed on their device.

a replacement to ad-hoc on the appstore

My company needs to upload an app to the store , that will only be available to 80 people over the world that will get the permission to test it.
The ad-hoc method requires their iphones id's to be register with the app, and obviously we dont have it.
Whats the best way, to upload the app to the store ,to let this people to get it ?
(NO, without just go to the review process of apple)
thanks.
Besides the enterprise developer program, Ad-Hoc distribution is the only way to limit your audience.
If you try to game the app store with an unreasonable high price and promo codes (limit of 50 codes per app version) Apple will kick you out of the review process in no time.
Use testflight to get device IDs easier and deploy you app to the testers.
There is no way to do that, for the Adhoc, you must register their UDID devices.
You can upload the app in the AppStore, put it's price high, and give the prople that you want to test the app a redeem code that will download the app free, but i think the number of redeem code you have is 25. If you find anyway to do that, share it with us please.
If the 80 people that will be testing/using the app are employees of the company, you should look into the Enterprise Developer Program. Enterprise development lets you deploy an internal app to employees of your organization that is not released to the App Store. It essentially lets you build an Ad Hoc like version of your app that can then be installed on devices without the need to get UDIDs.
The cost is $299 instead of the normal $99 and there are a few caveats on whether or not your organization qualifies. But if you do qualify, it vastly simplifies deploying an internal app and it gives you specifically what you were asking for - no review and no need to ask for UDIDs. You can put the signed bundle up on a website and simply give people the URL to it for OTA installation, so you don't even need iTunes.
Alternatively, if the end users are not a part of your organization, you can also look into developing Custom B2B Apps. This one comes with a few more hoops to jump through and it also requires an Apple review, but it allows your app to be sold only to specific customers and doesn't put it in the App Store. If you're already a developer with Apple, there's even a WWDC video on it.

Is there any way to deploy a Wp7 app to a phone without publishing or using Visual Studio?

I have a Wp7 app (ready in a xap), and I'd like to give it to a client, so he can use it in 5-10 devices. But it is an "internal" client for our service, so I'd rather not publish it on WP Marketplace for all to see...
Is there any reasonable way to do this?
when you upload app on marketplace you can set it as private so only users with direct link can see/install it. There was an app which hacked WP7 that allows you to install apps without marketplace but I've heard it's not legal anymore*.
*search for it because I'm not sure about this one.
edit: http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/01/02/chevronwp7.runs.out.of.tokens.may.not.renew/
Maybe you can try http://labs.chevronwp7.com/
EDIT : Sorry, it seems that all tokens are sold out, so this is not solution for you.
As pointed out by others, you can publish a application on the marketplace as a beta, allowing 5 users to test it using their Live IDs.
But all unlocked phones can have a XAP installed. Generally, Windows Phone applications aren't designed for internal distribution. If you don't intend to publish the application on the marketplace at any point, you need to estimate in the cost of $100 per phone, per year, for the usage of your application.
I'll recommend you contact Microsoft, if you need a specialized deal.

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