Google recently rolled out new tools to help speed up beta testing of apps by developers to test titles and gather user feedback.
Google now allows developers to set up closed betas using email addresses and open betas. With this update, there's no need for their users to become part of a Google+ community or Google Group to to join betas.
With these two new beta testing tools, Tech Crunch says this new program gives developers some much-needed flexibility in how they test their apps. In the new open beta program, developers can simply give users a link to join the beta and that's it. That way, they can test the app with a large number of users, but Google also gives them the ability to cap the number of users. And as for the second one, the closed beta, potential users have to sign up with an email address (or the developer has to upload a .csv file with addresses) and the developer has to explicitly allow them into the beta program.
Meanwhile, 9to5Google highlighted the practicality of these two new ways to test betas. They said, it will not be required anymore to go through a non-intuitive process that includes joining a group on Google+ (or Google Groups) and then clicking a special Play Store link which typically doesn't even work until a few minutes after you join the associated group. This old methods were weird and inelegant, 9 To 5 Google pointed out.
However, Read Write reported that the old way of running closed beta tests will still be available according to a statement by Google. Google reiterates that developers can still start with the old process and move over to the more open version with the same list of users.
Lastly, aside from these new beta options, Google also made a small change to how developers can price their apps today. The minimum price for apps and in-app products in India is now Rs. 10. At today's exchange rate, that's about $0.15, Tech Crunch summed up.
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