Month: Monday March 21st, 2016

When creating an iPhone app, many app developers lean towards disallowing their app being used upside down. Reasons given are usually:

• The big companies (Apple, Google) have most of their apps only in portrait mode, not in upside down portrait mode
• When allowing upside down and a phone call comes in, the user is confused, which would not have happened, if the user had to use the phone in portrait mode only

While I do see the reasons behind this, there are situations, where this portrait mode only is just not convenient:

• When the app is used on a bike, in a rain-shelter but a cable needs to go outside (either phone or charging / lightning). If you are lucky, your bike app shelter knows where the cable is. Else you wish, you could use your navigation app upside down.
• When the app is used in a car and you want to place the iPhone holder on the windshield in a phone holder as low as possible – then you either are 2-3 cm (or 1 inch) over the windshield due to the charging / lightning cable going out below, or you can turn your iPhone upside down and put the cable in on top, allowing you to lower the phone a little more.
• When you are charging your phone in a car where there is no phone holder (e.g. rental car), then the cup holders are helpful (sometimes). Being able to put a phone into the cup holder upside down and still being able to see the content of your app helps you save the money for the car phone holder.

So when designing an app that is used over a longer time, e.g. could be used with the lightning cable being plugged in, then the option of using the app upside down suddenly may make sense for your customers.

What do you think?

Assume your app is ready. What do you need to do to get it into the Google play store?

1. Generate a signed Apk
   1. Check that the version has a unique version code
   2. Check the applicationId to be unique and starts with your company name, e.g. “com.smallapps.”
2. Create a new entry in your Google Play Store
   1. Decide which language is the default language
   2. Give it a title up to 30 char long
   3. Give it a short description up to 80 char long
   4. Give it a long description up to 4000 char long
   5. Upload at least 2 screen shots, maximum 8 Screen shots per Type of each: Telephone, Tablet, Android TV and Android Wear – of course only if it is applicable
   6. Upload a “high resolution” symbol, e.g. the icon if your app in 512×512 pixels. But could also be a nicer version. Will be shown in the google play store entry.
   7. Upload a “Funktionsgrafik” (sorry, need to check the english name): Another image of size 1024×500 pixels. Will also be shown in the play store entry.
   8. Optional: Upload an ad picture 180×120 pixels, a TV banner or a video
   9. Select the App-type: App or Game
   10. Select the Category: Learning, Work, Comics, …
   11. Choose a content rating (age rating)
   12. Answer some questions to result in an age rating
   13. Enter an email Address, where you can be contacted
   14. Enter a link to your privacy policy (or click “will be supplied later”)
   15. Enter price or “for free”. This decision is forever!
   16. Decide in which countries to distribute the app
   17. Answer if the app contains ads
   18. Answer if you and your app agree to the android content policy
   19. Answer if you know about export control
   20. Upload the Apk into Alpha or Beta test or upload it to the final store
   21. Decide if it is a open or closed test phase
3. Then wait until the App is published
   1. If it is a alpha or beta test, you may share the link to find the Apk in the  App store

That’s it already, have fun!