Chapter 12: Finale! Publishing Your Android App

Objectives In this chapter, you learn to: Understand Google Play Target various device configurations and languages Prepare your app for publishing Create an APK package by exporting an app Prepare promotional materials Publish your app on Google Play 2 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Understanding Google Play There are many distribution networks Apps can be published to: –Google Play (Google’s Android Market, the largest marketplace) –Amazon Appstore –AppBrain –SlideME 3 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Understanding Google Play (continued) Steps to publish the App: 1.Test your app. 2.Prepare the app for publication. 3.Create an APK package and digitally sign your application. 4.Prepare promotional materials. 5.Publish your app to Google Play. 4 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Understanding Google Play (continued) Google Play is the online storefront for paid and free Android apps – –Contains features and services of the Android Market, Google Music, and Google e-books –Provides free cloud storage services –Used by over 130 countries –Apps install directly on the Android device –Part of the default setup on new Android devices 5 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Targeting Different Device Configurations and Languages 6 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java –Reach a larger audience by translating your app into multiple languages Create two resource directories in the strings directory (the strings.xml file) to write one app that recognizes many local languages Use to translate into 58 different languages –Note: translation is not perfect!

Use the Eclipse built-in emulators to test design and functionality Check real-world functionality by using the Android Debug Bridge (adb), which will communicate with a connected Android device Testing Your App on an Android Device 7 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Testing Your App on an Android Device (continued) 8 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Creating an APK Package –An Application Package File (.apk) is similar to a zip file Contains the application, the manifest file, and all associated resources, such as image files, music, and other related content Created by the Eclipse Export Wizard All Android apps must be digitally signed with a certificate that identifies the author and establishes trues relationships between applications

9 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure 12-2 Export dialog boxFigure 12-3 Exporting an Android application Testing Your App on an Android Device (continued)

10 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure 12-4 Selecting the project Figure 12-5 Selecting the keystore Testing Your App on an Android Device (continued)

11 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure 12-6 Keystore file is selected Figure 12-7 Entering a password

Testing Your App on an Android Device (continued) 12 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure 12-8 Key Creation form Figure 12-9 Destination APK file

13 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Google Play requires images from your app to assist with marketing Your image should standout Use screen shots Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload Figure Angry Birds Space Android from Google Play

Providing Images Application icon size should be 512 X 512 pixels Stored in a PNG file 2 screen shots are required –480 X 320, 800 X 480, or 854 X 480 PNG files –Up to 8 screen shots can be uploaded –Videos can be used to demo the app »Should be between 30 seconds and 2 minutes 14 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload

15 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.) Figure Angry Birds Space Android app Overview tab

16 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.) Providing a Description –An app description provides a quick overview to the purpose of the app and what it does Include features the app provides You want to sell the app to the widest audience possible Motivate users to download the app Revise the description as you update the app

17 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Angry Birds Space app description Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)

18 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Including App Information Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.) Table 12-1 Application categories

Registering for a Google Play Account 19 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java A Gmail account is needed Register at A one-time payment of $25 is required to register as an Android application developer and enrolls you in a Google Checkout account –If you charge for apps, Google Checkout disperses revenue for application sales You get 70 % and the phone carriers get 30%

Registering for a Google Play Account (cont.) 20 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Google Checkout registration Figure Google Play Android developer console

Registering for a Google Play Account (cont.) 21 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Developer Distribution Agreement Figure Google Play registration fee

Registering for a Google Play Account (cont.) 22 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Google Play Account Order

Registering for a Google Play Account (cont.) 23 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Add Users to a Google Play account

Uploading an App to Google Play (continued) 24 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Upload application Figure Upload new APK dialog box

Uploading an App to Google Play (continued) 25 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Edit Application page

Uploading an App to Google Play (continued) 26 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Listing details

Uploading an App to Google Play (continued) 27 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Publishing options

Uploading an App to Google Play (continued) 28 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java Figure Contact information and consent sections Figure Developer Program Policies page

Summary Google Play is the storefront for Android devices and apps, and provides access to Android Market, Google Music, and Google e-books To reach a larger audience within the Google Play market, you should target multiple Android devices and translate your app into multiple languages Provide alternate resources such as strings of text translated into multiple languages that change depending on the default locale detected on the device 29 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Summary (continued) Before publishing an Android app, test it on various devices Using different built-in emulators in Eclipse, you can test the design and functionality of your application on a wide range of devices and see how your development application performs in a real-world environment Using the Android Debug Bridge (adb) tool in Eclipse, you can develop and debug an Android application on an Android device 30 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java

Summary (continued) After testing an Android app, you must create an.apk file (application package file), which is a release-ready package that users can install and run on their Android phones and tablets An.apk file is a compressed archive that contains the application, the manifest file, and all associated resources, such as image files, music, and other required content. Using the Eclipse Export Wizard, you can build a release-ready.apk file that is signed with your private key and optimized for publication 31 Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java