Posted yesteryear Hoi Lam, Lead Developer Advocate, Wear OS yesteryear Google
Today nosotros are announcing a novel initiatory to meliorate Wear app character too their presentation inwards the Google Play Store. The Wear app review process, which has been inwards house since the launch of Android Wear 2.0, is currently optional. It volition run yesteryear away mandatory for apps to last listed on the Wear OS yesteryear Google version of the Google Play Store from the next dates:
- New Wear apps: 1 Oct 2018
- Existing Wear apps: 4 March 2019.
The review procedure for mobile apps remains unchanged, too is independent of the Wear app review. Mobile app updates volition non last blocked if they neglect the Wear app review.
We promise this lightweight app review procedure volition meliorate the character of Wear app experiences across the broad attain of devices available to your users. In addition, since screenshots are required for the Wear app review, this volition meliorate the uncovering too presentation of your Wear apps inwards the Google Play Store.
See a comprehensive listing of review criteria here. The next are mutual issues nosotros encounter during Wear app reviews:
- Support for dissimilar hide types - Wear OS yesteryear Google is available inwards both circular too foursquare screens, too around circular devices besides bring a chin. Developers are advised to exam on all hide types. If a physical device is unavailable, delight role the Wear OS yesteryear Google emulator.
- Wear OS yesteryear Google app screenshot - To run yesteryear the review, the app needs to bring at to the lowest degree ane Wear OS app screenshot. To run yesteryear away on pre-release Wear apps private, the Google Play Store volition non demonstrate the Wear screenshots unless the Wear App is inwards production or opened upward testing. Currently, the Google Play Store entirely supports uploading ane laid upward of screenshots across all production too exam versions. For existing Wear apps, nosotros recommend developers keeping their production Wear app screenshots unchanged when uploading novel opened upward exam or unopen exam Wear apps.
Opting out of app review for early on prototypes
We sympathise that around developers involve to experiment alongside their Wear apps inwards the early on stages of app development, too a Wear app review at this phase mightiness non last appropriate. In this case, developers bring 2 options:
- Manually deploy Wear APKs to their users, or
- Leverage internal testing features via the Google Play console, which enables developers to exam alongside upward to 100 internal testing accounts.
Please banknote that the opened upward exam too unopen exam channels volition last dependent champaign to Wear app review to attention front-load the character assurance procedure too to avoid leaving reviews to the final minute.
Thank you lot for your continuing back upward of Wear OS yesteryear Google.
