Although a GoodBarber subscription includes both iOS and Android versions of your app for no extra cost, sometimes app creators find themselves in the position of needing to choose between publishing on the App Store or Google Play. This can be due to budget constraints, time restrictions, different objectives you are trying to achieve, your audience, etc. So, if you must decide between publishing on the App Store or Google Play , what are the pros and cons of each? Here is a brief outline of the advantages of each platform depending on your situation.

In May, Google Play will introduce a new content rating system for apps and games that will help consumers with their purchases. The main goal of this new rating system is to improve app engagement by better targeting the appropriate audience. This will be done by evaluating content and respecting each country's internet advertising policies. Since the current Google Play rating scale will be replaced by this new system in May, this rating is mandatory for all developers. Google says that the “Unrated” apps may be blocked in certain territories for specific users. If your app is not rated, Google Play has the right to delete it from the Play Store, so be sure to rate it now. The rating will be calculated based on rules defined by an international organization (IARC), based on informations given to google by the developers about the content of their app.  The International Age Rating Coalition (IARC), born from a global initiative, gives a classification for games and apps, depending on the minimum age requested to use them, according to the territory where they will be sold.   The IARC is composed by different classification institutions, each one corresponding to a different area in the world : - the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) - North America - Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) - Europe -  Australian Classification Board - Australia - Unterhaltungssoftware Selbstkontrolle (USK) - Germany - Classificação Indicativa (ClassInd) - Brazil An app can get different ratings depending on the territory it will be downloaded from. This new way to rate apps will, as Google says, " inform consumers about the age appropriateness of your app, block or filter your content in certain territories or to specific users where legally required, evaluate your app’s eligibility for special developer programs."

Many of you have enabled the social sharing options into your apps, and you're right! It's a very good way to encourage your users to spread the word about your app and your content. Since last week, the Android beta is opened on GoodBarber. You probably noted that new options have appeared in your backend: in expert mode, you can now upload a specific icon and a specific splash screen for your Android app. In order to set up properly the sharing options in your app, you need to set up a new parameter in the Facebook and Twitter apps you have already created. Here is a little summary of the modifications you have to apply to your social apps if you have already created them.

Time has come to create Beautiful Apps for Android ! Today, we are very happy to open GoodBarber for Android. Thanks everyone for your kind messages to encourage us during the final stretch. The team worked very hard to finish the Beautiful Apps Engine for Android as quick as possible. From now on, you can enjoy on your Android device almost all the features of GoodBarber. There is still work to be done. This is the reason why we say this is a beta. But you’ll see, the result is already fantastic! If you want, you can even submit your app on Google Play. If you do so, take the time to review your app before publishing. Hey, it’s a beta ;) Last thing, remember that every Tuesday, we update GoodBarber with new features. You’ll be able to publish a new version of your app on Google Play, in order to make it even more beautiful ;) Now, go to your backend and have fun ! (or test for free if you're not already a GoodBarber)