You may need to make changes to the content or overall architecture of your app after publishing it. To do this, you’ll need to push updates to your app users.
There are two types of app updates you can push out: Binary changes, which require a resubmission of your app, and server-based changes, which do not require a resubmission of your app and are usually ready on users’ devices after about 20 minutes.
Binary Changes
Changing any of the following items/information will require a complete resubmission to app stores, meaning that we would need to create a new build of your app prior to submitting it again to the Google Play or Apple App Store.
Binary changes include any of the following:
- Icon
- Launch image
- App’s name
- Title (iOS)
- Description (iOS)
- Keywords (iOS)
- Screenshots (iOS)
- Category (iOS)
- Adding audio content for the first time after the app’s initial submission (installing Radio+ or Podcasts RSS extension)
- Uploading or updating the chime sound for reminders
- Enabling reminders or user-scheduled notifications
- Adding new authentication options (Apple and Facebook sign-in option) or removing login protection
- Enabling and configuring in-app purchases
- Installing and configuring the Advertising extension
- Shoutem platform update
- Extension updates – in some cases (eg. if you install Permissions or Onboarding extension)
Once you’ve made these changes and clicked the Republish button, the Shoutem builder will automatically send a resubmission email request to our internal review queue. The Shoutem publishing team will then update your app in the app store(s) with all new changes. You will be alerted once the process is completed.
App users will see this as a store-based update or a new app version. Users who don’t enable automatic app updates must visit the app stores on their device and make the updates manually.
How to Publish Binary Changes
- Make all binary changes needed (as noted in the bulleted list above).
- Click “Republish.” You should see this screen:
- Click “Republish,” then contact Shoutem Support so we can assist in republishing your app to the Google Play and/or Apple App Store(s).
If your Republish message says that the changes you’ve made will be pushed automatically to users’ apps, then you’ve made server-based changes, and you do not need to contact the Shoutem support team.
Server-Based Changes
Server-based app updates don’t require a new app file submission. They are visible to users after you click Republish, or, after a manual app restart on the user’s end after about 20 minutes. For example, when you add content to existing categories (i.e. categories created before the app is submitted), changes will update automatically.
Server-based changes include any of the following:
- Adding an Extension/New screen
- Screen icon changes
- Screen positioning changes
- Design iPhone image change (except App icon and Launch image change)
- Content updates
To summarize, if the change is NOT on the Binary updates list above, the live app can be updated without needing an app resubmission.
How To Publish Server-Based Changes
- Make all server-based changes needed (as noted in the bulleted list above).
- Click “Republish.” You should see this screen:
- After about 20 minutes, users’ apps will now reflect the server-based changes you’ve made.
If your Republish message says that the changes you’ve made require store resubmission, then you’ve made binary changes. Please contact Shoutem Support to assist with your server-based changes.
