Building Hybrid Android Apps with Java and JavaScript

Chapter 8. Publishing Apps for Android

The application development lifecycle can be thought of as an iterative process involving design, development, distribution, monitoring of user response, bug fixes, and enhancements. This chapter aims at describing the process involved for making your application available for users to download and install on their devices. An optimum distribution and discovery infrastructure plays a key role in making sure your application will be found among millions of other apps and will be employed by users on an ongoing basis.

Applications are distributed through well known discovery and distribution channels, often known as market places. There are a number of distribution channels available to Android applications developers including ones from Google Play, Amazon, and GetJar. These marketplaces allow users to discover, download, and pay for applications.

The process of distributing your applications across various market places is quite similar in principle, however, the modalities may differ. From 30,000 feet, the publication workflow can be summarized as a sequence of the following steps:

1. Register a publisher/developer account.
2. Set up the merchant account for payments.
3. Upload the marketing material for your application.
4. Determine whether you would like to run alpha and beta programs for your application.
5. Decide the price for your application, if you wish to charge for it.
6. Digitally sign your application.
7. Upload the application.
8. Wait for approval, ...