Encourage users to update apps via Google's new tool

Google is launching a new tool that allows app developers to ask their users to install updates to the new version.

Google is introducing a new tool that allows developers to ask their users to update Android apps. Most updates on Android happen automatically, but in some cases apps stay stuck on an outdated version. This is possible, for example, when users refuse to implement automatic updates. The new tool should help developers convince these people to update.

Purposeful message

The tool is built into the Play Console. You can then send users a message that an update is available. Anyone who receives this notification can update with the touch of a button. The app developer can send the notification based on the installed version of the app, the region the user is in, or the Android version the device running the app is running.

The notification in question appears as soon as someone opens the old app and fills the entire screen. Users can ignore the prompt, but it will appear again on every full restart of the app. Google indicates that in more than half of the cases, the notification ensures that someone has made the necessary update to the latest version.

The option to send notification is available in the Google Play Console below release Or the Application package explorer-page. There you can indicate which versions of the app you want to send prompts to.