[Aulig]

What a stupid requirement. I run an app builder and offer my users plenty of ways to test their app beforehand, but outside of Google Play, since their system is just cumbersome.

This will make it nearly impossible to get an app published as a small business, since who the hell has 20 users just waiting for your app? It's already a huge struggle to help people with publishing their app.

The road to hell is truly paved with good intentions. All the scam apps will have no problem cheating this system, but honest devs will struggle. I can only hope Google reconsiders this requirement, otherwise it might be worth it to push my users more towards alternative app stores. We already support the Amazon App Store and the Huawei App Gallery (which are a lot easier to publish apps in), but the user base is just not there unfortunately.

[forgotpwd16]

>since who the hell has 20 users just waiting for your app

And that's how test-as-a-service is born.

[brucecrust]

Already here. I work in that industry.

[Anamon]

> who the hell has 20 users just waiting for your app?

I'd wager that the majority of apps published to app stores struggle to find 20 users total, period. Let alone before public release.

It really seems like an obviously counterproductive measure. I think you're totally right in that the people who will have the least issues passing these new requirements, are those who don't shy away from dishonesty.

[sourav22]

Thought that i would atleast create an app that is useful, so spent 1 month developing it, their was more to it but i wanted to publish atleast 1 app. So spent $25 to create account , than spent 3-4 hours publishing app , waited 5 days to get released. Today it was showing " Closed testing " in app status. I was not aware of it. So searched on internet & read about Google's NEW REQUIREMENTS.

This month on 16- Nov i created account on it & that time i was not aware of this new policy!!!!!! From where the hell i am going to bring 20 testers now !!!!!