Release new production version on Google Play without affecting Beta

Question

I have a production app on the Google Play store. I have also released a beta version to a limited group using the Google Play beta feature. However, if I make changes to the production app, I then need to re-build and re-release the beta app because it gets overwritten by the new production version. This is very frustrating when I want to make some bug fixes on production without changing the beta. Is there any way to release a new production app without invalidating the current beta?

Answer 1

The basic problem is that Google Play updates based on build number (versionCode), and doesn't care which channel the .apk comes from.

Your only option is to not pickup sequential build numbers, but instead leave gaps. For example if your prod is versionCode="10", make the beta build versionCode="20" which will give you the chance to publish nine more minor prod releases before you hit the issue of invalidating the beta build.

Though there are two problems with this approach: - Obviously it does not scale very well. - It makes it hard to manage the build numbers, as now you have to keep a record of what build has reached which build number. - If you don't invalidate the beta build, your beta users will still have the bugs you just fixed in the new prod build until you upgrade them.

Note that if you don't have permission changes that prevent auto-upgrade, invalidating the beta build and publishing a new one is not that much of an issue; most users won't even notice that they were upgraded (unless your app tells them explicitly).

Answer 2

I believe the reason google requires that your new production version of the application override the beta is due to the basic development cycle. Typically applications start in the Alpha stage, then beta, and finally end in production.

The beta version is overwritten due to the fact that the next logical step in the cycle from beta is release. When you re-submit the beta version, it would be the current code revision as the production version, alongside bug fixes that are being tested.