Android licensing strategy for publishing to Google Play and Amazon app store

Question

I want to publish a paid-for app on Amazon app store as well as Google Play. I plan on doing two separate builds for my app, one with the Google Play Licensing library incorporated and enabled (for submitting to Google Play) and one with the Licensing library disabled (for submitting to Amazon app store; Amazon has its own Licensing facility). Other than this, the two builds will be identical (same package name etc). Does anyone know whether or not this strategy is a feasible way to go?

A worry I have in particular is app updates. If a user purchases my app from Amazon app store and I publish an update to Google Play, would the user receive a notification telling them that an update is available for them from Google Play?

Answer 1

I currently have apps on both the google play market and Amazon market and have not come across any of the issues you have mentioned above. I am using ecplise and created the apk file using a certificate and used the same apk file for both Android markets.

As they are seperate markets and as you mentioend Amazon has its own authentication meaning google play updates are not an issue and therefore need to be done on both Markets.

Google Play vs Amazon Appstore

Finally, things to look out for is if you have any links referencing the play market you need to change these to the Amazon market, as Amazon will fail it otherwise (upload to Amazon market can take several days), hope this helps.

Answer 2

When you submit the android apk file to the Amazon app store it signs itself and publishes the app. I uploaded by debug build (not even any signed apk) and amazon accepted it and the app is now in their app store. Amazon might have some sort of automated signing the application.

Make sure you've not implemented anything related to Google play store.

Good luck!

Answer 3

I am writing an app and face the same situation, I found the best solution was to make your app into a library project and import it into two separate projects for release.

These separate projects would have any changes necessary for launching from a specific store but the bulk of your code would be in one library. That way any updates you do to the library will be carried across to both releases automatically on the next build.