Publishing an Android App on Google Play

Introduction

※※This article is for individual developers.

We have now released an Android app on Google Play.
The actual published version is here.
I have written about it in an article, so if you are interested, please take a look.

Up until now, I had been using my own creations for personal use, but I started with a simple feeling that I would like to publish them on the Google Play Store.
To be honest, I had to go through a lot of steps before releasing it, so I wasn’t able to release it easily.

Google Play developer registration

You can register as a developer from the URL below.
https://play.google.com/console
The account you register as a developer must have two-step verification, so set it up if you haven’t done so already.
*A registration fee of $25 is required. This is required at the time of registration, and there are no renewal fees after that.

Once registration is complete, you will enter the GooglePlay console screen. Then press “Create app” to actually create it.

Closed test → road to production version

Before publishing your app, you will need the following:

• Create a signed App Bundle (APK format is not acceptable)
• Screenshots of the app (at least 2-3)
• App icon
• App description (one with 80 characters or less and one with a detailed description)
• 20 testers (must install)

Maybe because it was my first time registering an app, I had to enter this information many times.
*There are two tests, a closed test and an internal test, but the internal test is optional, so you can skip it.

As for how to create a signed AppBundle, in the case of Android Studio and Unity, it is possible to easily create an AppBundle with a signing key using the build method.

Regarding app icons, these days it is easy to create icons using generation AI, so if you don’t have any particular preferences, I think it’s a good idea to use them.
ChatGPT and flux-lora-the-explorer can be used for free, although there is a limit on the number of times they can be used.

The most difficult part was the 20 testers.
Even if you actually become a tester, you will not be able to access the product version unless you install it.
In short, if the person you requested forgot to install the app, you will have to wait an additional 14 days.
In my case, I asked my friends and family to install the app, but it took 28 days for it to be released because someone accidentally forgot to install it once.
Because there are few Android users in Japan, it is difficult to find 20 testers.
I think it will be necessary to ask for requests by participating in closed testing communities on SNS such as Twitter, tester recruitment apps, and Discord.

The Discord below is from overseas, but since it has a large number of users, many people were willing to help.
https://discord.com/invite/D2cNrqX

GooglePlay’s requirements for individual developers seem to be high hurdles. I think securing 20 testers is a particularly difficult request considering the percentage of Android users in Japan.

However, considering recent Internet trends, there are some parts that are just barely acceptable to these requirements.

• The requirement for 20 testers will help confirm operation on a variety of devices and strengthen security verification
• Using the App Bundle format reduces the risk of unauthorized modification and malware inclusion

I think that with these measures, we can create apps that are safer and more reliable for users.
From the developer’s perspective, it may not be worth it…
At the very least, instead of a fixed number of 20 people, it would be nice if they could introduce a standard based on the scale and nature of the app (for example, change the number to 10 people for a simple app, 20 people for a complex app, etc.).

As a developer myself, I would like to utilize this experience in future app development.

End