Beta testing uploaded app

Affirmative...

Yes, there is. ou can just generate a PRG file via App export, connect your watch via USB and copy the prg-file to the Garmin/Apps folder on the watch. After a restart the App can be run. Send it to somebody else and they can do that too...
The drawback of this method is, that you - at least in my experience - can't use external settings, if that's supported by you app, they don't show up in connectiq

Thanks, I was actually wondering if there is a way to download an app from the app store that hasn't been released yet, when you aren't the original developer.

Test app settings

Is it possible to submit an app but request that it *not* be made available on the ConnectIQ store so that the developer can test any settings-related functionality without making the app available to the public?

Yes. Publish the app to the app store as normal, except put the text DO NOT APPROVE in the app name or description field. You can do your testing as you like and once you decide it is ready, you can remove the text and upload a new version for approval.

Travis

Thanks for clarifying that Travis!

Thanks, I was actually wondering if there is a way to download an app from the app store that hasn't been released yet, when you aren't the original developer.

While a developer can download their own pending apps from the app store, it's not currently possible for someone other than the developer to do so. I have a couple of tasks on the books for our app store team to do that will enable some beta capabilities on the store. Right now, we have a two-phase plan to implement these features:

Phase 1: Allow developers to mark a submitted app as 'beta' which will place it in a special pending state. In a beta state, the app should behave like a pending app to the app author, but will not appear to Garmin as though the app is awaiting approval. This will eliminate the need to put "DO NOT APPROVE" warnings in pending app listings and make it easier for developers to manage new app versions of existing, approved apps. Once the author is ready, they can take it out of beta, and it will work just like a normal app submission does today.

Phase 2: Allow developers to white list certain app store users to give access to apps in a beta state. This will let non-authors download the beta apps, which are otherwise unapproved and not yet available to the public. The exact way this will function is still in design, so what I've described is the general concept we have in mind--I can't guarantee this will be the way the feature works, but it should be something similar to this.

While a developer can download their own pending apps from the app store, it's not currently possible for someone other than the developer to do so. I have a couple of tasks on the books for our app store team to do that will enable some beta capabilities on the store. Right now, we have a two-phase plan to implement these features:

Phase 1: Allow developers to mark a submitted app as 'beta' which will place it in a special pending state. In a beta state, the app should behave like a pending app to the app author, but will not appear to Garmin as though the app is awaiting approval. This will eliminate the need to put "DO NOT APPROVE" warnings in pending app listings and make it easier for developers to manage new app versions of existing, approved apps. Once the author is ready, they can take it out of beta, and it will work just like a normal app submission does today.

Phase 2: Allow developers to white list certain app store users to give access to apps in a beta state. This will let non-authors download the beta apps, which are otherwise unapproved and not yet available to the public. The exact way this will function is still in design, so what I've described is the general concept we have in mind--I can't guarantee this will be the way the feature works, but it should be something similar to this.

This sounds perfect and is really needed. Maybe in the meantime you could describe the exact steps for the "DO NOT APPROVE" workflow and put it in the New Dev FAQ - https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?359183-New-Developer-FAQ-2

Might help new devs... :)

Now that we have a Beta feature available on the store, we're deprecating the "DO NOT APPROVE" procedure we had recommended in the past. The Beta feature allows you to mark an app as a beta, and makes it available to you on your developer account without the need for store approval. Once app development is complete, the app may be re-submitted normally for approval and listing on the store.

Since we have quite a large list of apps pending approval that are marked "NO NOT APPROVE", we will begin trimming this from our pending list by rejecting these app listings. These apps may still be re-submitted as a beta version or re-submitted for approval.

Now that we have a Beta feature available on the store, .

Just to clarify that this is just "Phase 1" of the beta testing implementation plan, and only the developer can download a Beta version of his/her app?