Publish beta version on Android market

Question

I want to publish a beta version of some app of mine on the android market and face the problem that I cannot upload an app with the same packa

Answer 1

Yes call your package

com.you.app.beta

Fix all the bugs in this app. Then when you go live just copy the project refactor your package name (Eclipse CTRL+ALT+R on the item) update your manifest and re-release. The beta package is then not supported by you any more and you can even click unpublish, or release an update that shows an upgrade screen linking to the new package (i.e. new market url)

com.you.app

What's the problem?

Answer 2

I came across this blog which discuss Android Beta Testing and feels like that the better way. So just sharing with you guys. Hopefully it will be helpful for all . http://zubhium.posterous.com/android-app-beta-testing

Pushing app with com.packagename.beta is not a very good idea. It creates unnecessary confusion and secondly you don't want to get unstable version in market to get bad ratings for your brand.

Answer 3

since IO 2013 there is now one option to do beta-testing: https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/3131213?hl=en

Answer 4

We upload but do not publish beta versions of our apps. Once uploaded, the market will assume that any incoming license check is being done from a legitimate installation that was side loaded and will respond "licensed". So our beta testers can test a full implementation, including the licensing code. (Test account responses are also honored for uploaded but unpublished apps.)

When the testing is complete, we upload the release version using the same package (and signing cert), and publish.