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Beta Versions - Limited Audience

DaveBrillhart
over 5 years ago

Is there a clean way to publish a BETA version that I can allow testers who know the URL to download from the Marketplace, but not be exposed to all?

I know the obvious way - to specify the upload is a BETA - only allows ME to download to my devices. And I could send sideloads but that is a pain as I need to compile for every possible device type.

Thanks.

  • over 5 years ago

    This is something that's been requested for years, but there's no way to do it, other than sending out side loads with email or something.

    Something that "may" work, is if you install the beta and send that out as your beta, it's got things like the store ID, so may be a bit better, but I've never tried it.

  • over 5 years ago

     You could maybe release a public beta version, and then have a user setting which requires a specific key to be entered, otherwise the app just displays a blank screen, or crashes or something.

  • over 5 years ago in reply to markdotai

    And give the app a silly code name so no one can guess what it does! Love some intrigue Slight smile

  • over 5 years ago

    Got me thinking.... every DF is issued a unique ID that persists over versions, right? So one approach to authorizing users would be to issue a code that only works with a particular unique ID. A public/private key pair idea?

  • over 5 years ago in reply to DaveBrillhart

    I think some apps with premium features use individual unlock codes which only work with one device - so you could do something like that if you needed it to be secure. But I don't know what algorithm they use. It would appear like the default app was a blank screen like the torch apps, and then the premium features were everything else.

    If you don't need it to be so secure then you could just use a single string to search for in the app. Which would work so long as no one you tell the code to then tells anyone else ...

    If you have other settings in your app those would also be visible to anyone, so depends if that is a problem too.

  • over 5 years ago in reply to DaveBrillhart

    I think you're over-engineering this Dave...

    Just mark the app as beta in the description and be glad that some people want to beta test your app or alternatively if you don't want a public beta do as Mark suggested and use a unlock key that you pass to your beta testers.

    If you want to be able to identify your different beta testers you could do a double app setting (email/pwd), but if you do be sure to mention this at the very least in your privacy policy.

  • over 5 years ago in reply to peterdedecker

    It's hard to get users to read descriptions, so I'd also make it the first thing in the app name in the store: 'BETA My New Thing" and would change the AppName string in the app to include BETA so that (except for watch faces) the user is reminded it's a beta when it's used.

    .