Update my app API to Android 13

And again: why?

See also here:

Developers must target the API to 33 and update their apps before the timeline if not done then after that they will not be allowed to update the existing apps anymore.

Where is that written? Or better asked: Where does Google say that?

yes... of course only if you plan to update your app then you can request to extend the deadline, see also API Level 33 Necessary from August 2023 - #6 by Taifun

New apps and app updates must target API level 33 to be submitted to Google Play

please provide proof of that statement

Taifun

In other words, any developer who misses this deadline will never be able to update their apps again. That's ridiculous.

Read the description here in below given screenshots from Google Play Console.

you just confirmed yourself, that only updates are affected...

Taifun

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Yes, I said updates only

Exactly, and many users don't seem to realize this and are panicking about Google's pathetic information policy (as I've said elsewhere).

There is a separate policy than this one that affects every app, specifically:

Existing apps that don't target an API level within two years of the latest major Android version release will not be available to all users.

Currently, existing apps [...] must target API level 31 or above by August 31, 2023 [...]. Otherwise, they will stop being discoverable to all Google Play users whose devices run Android OS versions newer than your app’s target API level...

From Target API level requirements for Google Play apps - Play Console Help

So basically, if you don't update your app after two years Google will stop showing it to anyone with a newer device than the target SDK dictates, effectively soft-delisting it from the Play Store, unless developers put in the effort to update to the latest SDK regularly.

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Just like I said before:

"We are planning to do a release around Aug 26 with the SDK 33 related changes."

I am just guessing here, but when the new changes that include the SDK 33 changes is released, all we will need to do is create a new bundle to upload to Google Play .. correct?

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Correct.

I targeted one of my apps to SDK 33 yesterday. Still, Google's warning isn't going away (at least not yet). :upside_down_face:

I don't care about emails from Google. I do NOT want to see any more warnings or errors in the Google Play console once I've made a correct update.

What should be the problem with that? :upside_down_face: :question:

And that has always been the case up until now. If you fixed a problem in the Play Console, the warning / error message disappeared.

I don't need advice on how to behave. I would like to make others aware that they should be prepared for such things (caused by Google's bad information policy).

I usually give advice.

Incidentally, everything necessary (and more) on this has already been said. So spare us/me further superfluous comments.

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As Google becomes more and more draconian it may become necessary to move to another platform for app distribution. There are literally dozens available and none have such long and restrictive conditions. I suggest you investigate other possibilies and dump Playstore.

Amazon App store might be a good choice as it doesn't have such restrictions