Create a developer program with Android

This topic describes the processes and steps required for publishing VidyoConnect-branded apps to the Google Play Store. 

Create a Google Play developer account

  1. Go to https://play.google.com/apps/publish/signup/.
  2. Click Create an Account.
  3. Fill out the form, and click Next Step.
  4. Click Back to Google Play Developer Console.
  5. Select the Google Play Developer distribution agreement check box to acknowledge your agreement, and click Continue to payment  to pay the one-time $25 fee.
  6. Enter your payment information, and click Accept and continue.
  7. You will receive an email from Google notifying you when your account is ready to be activated.

Note

This process can take up to a week.
  1. Activate your account.

Create an application in Google Play Console

  1. Go to Play Console.
  2. Select All applications > Create application.
  3. Select a default language and add a title for your app. The name of the app that you enter here will appear on Google Play.

Create an application store listing

These are all the details that will appear to customers when they view your app’s listing on Google Play.

Note

This step doesn’t necessarily have to be completed before moving on to the next one. It can always be saved as a draft and revisited later when the application is ready to publish.

The information required for the store listing is divided into the following categories:

Product details

There are three fields here that you need to fill out.

The app’s title and description should be written with a great user experience in mind.

Graphic assets

Under graphic assets, you can add screenshots, images, videos, promotional graphics, and icons that showcase the app’s features and functionality.

Some sections under Graphic Assets are mandatory, such as screenshots, a feature graphic, and a high-resolution icon. Others are optional, but you can add them to make your app look more attractive to users.

There are specific requirements for each graphic asset that can be uploaded, such as the file format and dimensions.

Languages and translations

You can also add translations of your app’s information in the store listing details, along with in-language screenshots and other localized images.

There’s also an option for users to view automated translations of the app’s information using Google.

Categorization

This part requires to select the appropriate type and category the app belongs to. From the drop-down menu, you can pick either app or game for the application type.

There are various categories for each type of app available on the Play Store. Pick the one the app fits into best.

To rate the content, an APK should be uploaded first. This step can be skipped and completed later.

Contact details

This part requires you to enter contact details to offer users access to support regarding the app.

Multiple contact channels can be added here, such as an email, website, and phone number, but providing a contact email is mandatory for publishing an app.

Privacy policy

For apps that request access to sensitive user data or permissions, a comprehensive privacy policy should be entered that effectively discloses how the app collects, uses, and shares that data.

URL linking must be added to the privacy policy in the store listing and within the app. Make sure the link is active and relevant to the app.

After completing these steps, the store listing is ready. Click Save Draft to save the details. Some steps can always be skipped, and you can come back to them later before publishing the app.

Upload an application using Google Play Console

The Android Package Kit (APK) is the file format used by the Android operating system to distribute and install apps. Simply put, the APK file contains all the elements needed for the app to actually work on a device.

Google offers multiple ways to upload and release the APK. Before uploading the file, however, an app release should be created.

To create a release: 

  1. Select the created app.
  2. From the menu on the left side, navigate to Release management > App releases. There are options available for the type of release. Production is the final release to submit a live version of the app to the Google Play store. Beta and Alpha releases give the opportunity to test the app and receive valuable feedback to make improvements before a final release.
  3. Once an option has been picked, click Create release.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the APK files, and name and describe the release.
  5. Choose to use Google Play app signing on the app or click OPT-OUT to ignore and sign in locally.

Note

We recommend using Google Play app signing. It prevents the possibility of losing the signing key.
  1. Click Browse Files.
  2. Choose the app’s APK or App Bundle files to upload.
  3. Click Review at the bottom right of the page. This confirms and submits the app’s release information.

Provide a content rating

  1. Click Continue.
  2. Enter the email address and confirm it.
  3. From the options, select the app category.
  4. Start filling in the survey for the app rating. This is basically to help Google identify if there is any explicit content in the app.
  5. Click Save Questionnaire.
  6. Click Calculate Rating. This will show the rating the app will have on the Play Store.
  7. Click Apply Rating to confirm your app’s content rating.

Set a pricing and distribution plan

The pricing should be set if the plan is to have users pay for the app. Also, the app can be distributed to selected countries instead of a worldwide release. 

  1. Go to the Pricing & distribution page from the left menu.
  2. Select whether the app should be FREE or PAID. For more details on the paid option, check here.
  3. Select Available for the countries the app released in. Select the Unavailable option otherwise.
  4. If the app is suitable for children under the age of 13, select Yes for Primary Child-Detected. Otherwise, select No.

Make an application available in the Play Store

  1. Log in to Google Play Console.
  2. Go to the corresponding application.
  3. Go to App releases.
  4. Go to Edit release.
  5. Fill in What's new in this release? field or leave it empty. Then Save.
  6. Go to Review.
  7. Click Start rollout to production.

Update the application to the new version

  1. Log in to the Google Play Developer Console.
  2. Locate the application in the app choices listed for the developer account. Click on the appropriate app.
  3. Click on Release Management, then App Releases.
  4. To upload a new .APK file, click on Manage Production, then Create Release.
  5. Drag and drop the new .APK file with increased version code into the "APKs to add" section. There will be a notice that the previous APK version will become deactivated. This is normal.
  6. The release name will automatically update to the next appropriate version. For "What's new in the release?", select Bug Fixes and Feature Enhancements.
  7. Click Save, then Review to proceed.
  8. Finally, review the release information on the next screen. Then scroll down to the bottom and click Start Rollout to Production.

Android FAQs

Q: In which format will Enghouse-Vidyo provide the application?

A: The Enghouse-Vidyo team will provide the application in the following format: .apk - release unsigned.

Note

The customer must proceed with the signing process to be able to upload to Google Play Console.

Q: How long does the application review process take? 

A: On average, the application is reviewed from 2-7 days.