Update my app API to Android 13

[Taifun]

@Anke

And again: why?

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

@The_K_Studio

if not done then after that they will not be allowed to update the existing apps anymore.

please provide proof of that statement

Taifun

[Anke]

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

[The_K_Studio]

@Anke

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

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

API Level 33 Necessary from August 2023

Thank you for your efforts @ewpatton but here is a temporary solution to extend the deadline till November. Go to Inbox in your play console, click on notification and go to View details. [image] Scroll down and click Request more time. [image] Select appropriate reasons and click Request. You will be granted extension till Nov 01, 2023. [image] Extend deadline for all of your published apps. So, no need to worry as of now, we have enough time to do the things.

[Taifun]

@The_K_Studio

Read the description here in below given screenshots

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

Taifun

[The_K_Studio]

Yes, I said updates only

@The_K_Studio

will not be allowed to update the existing apps

[Anke]

@Taifun

EDIT: this is necessary of course only if you plan to update your app

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

[ewpatton]

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.

[Anke]

@ewpatton

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.

Just like I said before:

smartphone with android 13 requires api 33 . from January 2023

This is just a warning. As long as your apps aren't on targetSdkVersion = 30 or lower, and you don't plan to update or release a new app right away on Aug. 31 or Sept. 1, there is NO action required for now. Everything you need to know about this:

[Carl_Aydelotte]

"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?

[ewpatton]

@Carl_Aydelotte

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?

Correct.

[Anke]

@Anke

Google is once again running a pathetic information policy

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

[Anke]

@Asif_Hayat

wait google team will send you updated email in 1 2 days

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?

[Anke]

@Anke

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

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

[Anke]

@Asif_Hayat

so just wait

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).

[Anke]

@Asif_Hayat

if you do not need advice then stop commenting

I usually give advice.

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

[spuddy]

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.

[ShanmugaNathan2023]

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

[Anke]

@ShanmugaNathan2023

Amazon App store might be a good choice

If you want to make money or want to make your apps available to the widest possible audience, the Amazon App Store is almost irrelevant. After the "Amazon Underground" started temporarily and idiotically many years ago, the Amazon App Store could not recover from it either.

[Royce_Grey]

People's wallets are involved. They need it dumbed down a bit.

[Royce_Grey]

This is the message I received:
We've detected that your app is targeting an old version of Android. To provide users with a safe and secure experience, Google Play requires all apps to meet target API level requirements.

From August 31, 2023, if your target API level is not within 1 year of the latest Android release, you won't be able to update your app.

To continue making updates to your app, ensure your app targets Android 13 (API level 33).

View detailsArchive

expand_less

This is from their details page:

Summary

Status

• You won't be able to release app updates (5 days away)

Date sent

Aug 10, 2023

Deadline

Aug 30, 2023

Violation

App must target Android 13 (API level 33) or higher

How to fix

Your highest non-compliant target API level is Android 12 (API level 31).

To ensure that you can continue to make updates to your app you must:

1. Update your app to target Android 13 (API level 33) or higher.
2. Publish a new version of your app to production. Before you do this, you can test your app using internal, closed, or open testing.

O.K., do we have proof now? Well, there's enough for me.