1. Chapter 12: Finale! Publishing Your Android App
Android Boot Camp for Developers Using Java, Comprehensive: A Guide to Creating Your First Android Apps
Chapter 12: Finale! Publishing Your Android App
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

2. Objectives In this chapter, you learn to: Understand Google Play
Target various device configurations and languages
Prepare your app for publishing
Create an APK package by exporting an app
Prepare promotional materials
Publish your app on Google Play
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

3. Understanding Google Play
There are many distribution networks
Apps can be published to:
Google Play (Google’s Android Market, the largest marketplace)
Amazon Appstore
AppBrain
SlideME
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

4. Understanding Google Play(continued)
Steps to publish the App:
Test your app.
Prepare the app for publication.
Create an APK package and digitally sign your application.
Prepare promotional materials.
Publish your app to Google Play.
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

5. Understanding Google Play(continued)
Google Play is the online storefront for paid and free Android apps
Contains features and services of the Android Market, Google Music, and Google e-books
Provides free cloud storage services
Used by over 130 countries
Apps install directly on the Android device
Part of the default setup on new Android devices
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

6. Targeting Different Device Configurations and Languages
Reach a larger audience by translating your app into multiple languages
Create two resource directories in the strings directory (the strings.xml file) to write one app that recognizes many local languages
Use to translate into 58 different languages
Note: translation is not perfect!
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

7. Testing Your App on an Android Device
Use the Eclipse built-in emulators to test design and functionality
Check real-world functionality by using the Android Debug Bridge (adb), which will communicate with a connected Android device
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

8. Creating an APK Package
An Application Package File (.apk) is similar to a zip file
Contains the application, the manifest file, and all associated resources, such as image files, music, and other related content
Created by the Eclipse Export Wizard
All Android apps must be digitally signed with a certificate that identifies the author and establishes trues relationships between applications
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

9. Creating an APK Package (continued)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

10. Creating an APK Package (continued)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

11. Creating an APK Package (continued)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

12. Creating an APK Package (continued)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

13. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload
Google Play requires images from your app to assist with marketing
Your image should standout
Use screen shots
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

14. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload
Providing Images
Application icon size should be 512 X 512 pixels
Stored in a PNG file
2 screen shots are required
480 X 320, 800 X 480, or 854 X 480 PNG files
Up to 8 screen shots can be uploaded
Videos can be used to demo the app
Should be between 30 seconds and 2 minutes
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

15. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)
Providing a Description
An app description provides a quick overview to the purpose of the app and what it does
Include features the app provides
You want to sell the app to the widest audience possible
Motivate users to download the app
Revise the description as you update the app
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

16. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

17. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)
Including App Information
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

18. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

19. Preparing Promotional Materials to Upload (cont.)
Including Social Networks
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

20. Registering for a Google Play Account
A Gmail account is needed
Register at
A one-time payment of $25 is required to register as an Android application developer and enrolls you in a Google Checkout account
If you charge for apps, Google Checkout disperses revenue for application sales
You get 70 % and the phone carriers get 30%
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

21. Registering for a Google Play Account (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

22. Uploading an App to Google Play
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

23. Uploading an App to Google Play (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

24. Uploading an App to Google Play (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

25. Uploading an App to Google Play (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

26. Uploading an App to Google Play (cont.)
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

27. Summary
Google Play is the storefront for Android devices and apps, and provides access to Android Market, Google Music, and Google e-books
To reach a larger audience within the Google Play market, you should target multiple Android devices and translate your app into multiple languages
Provide alternate resources such as strings of text translated into multiple languages that change depending on the default locale detected on the device
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

28. Summary (continued)
Before publishing an Android app, test it on various devices
Using different built-in emulators in Eclipse, you can test the design and functionality of your application on a wide range of devices and see how your development application performs in a real-world environment
Using the Android Debug Bridge (adb) tool in Eclipse, you can develop and debug an Android application on an Android device
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.

29. Summary (continued)
After testing an Android app, you must create an .apk file (application package file), which is a release-ready package that users can install and run on their Android phones and tablets
An .apk file is a compressed archive that contains the application, the manifest file, and all associated resources, such as image files, music, and other required content. Using the Eclipse Export Wizard, you can build a release-ready .apk file that is signed with your private key and optimized for publication
Android Boot Camp for Developers using Java, 2nd Ed.