Convert the android app in Google Play for Samsung Store

Question

Recently (After July 1st), I have a new app in Google play. But I came to know that from July 1st onwards Samsung is not going to accept the App which are not using the Samsung SDK.

Question

Though I do not need any special features in the Samsung SDK they forcing me to use it. I have to utilize the user base in Samsung Store. What is the easy way to make my app to be compatible with Samsung Store. Share your experience.

Can we simply use the SDK and not implement any features will work ?

Thanks in Advance !

Answer 1

After spending hours trying to resolve the problem, I finally got the solution after contacting the Samsung Engineers. They checked out my APK's content and according to them:

"Regarding your inquiry, we would like to inform you that if the following use-feature exists in the manifest file, it is considered that the application uses S Pen SDK. (uses-feature name="com.sec.feature.spen_usp" android:required="true"/) Please note that you need to change ( and ) to < and > in your manifest file. However the uses-feature does not exist in the manifest of your application, so it is considered that the application does not use the S Pen SDK."

After adding the feature to the app's manifest, the portal detected the SDK (Please See image), and I was able to publish the app. Note that I didn't include the SPen sdk jars to the app, neither did I reference any Samsung library within the app.

<uses-feature android:name="com.sec.feature.spen_usp" android:required="true"/>

EDIT: The app has been accepted but after second try. The first was rejected because under the Category section, I chose "Galaxy Specials > S Pen". They told me to change it to "Galaxy Specials > Other" since it had no S Pen functionality. So make sure you set accordingly.

Update 2020:

Under the Category section in "App Information" just choose "Galaxy Specials > Multi Window".

Then in your manifest add these:

    <uses-feature android:name="com.sec.feature.spen_usp" android:required="true"/>

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
       ......>
        <!-- for samsung multiwindow -->
        <uses-library
            android:name="com.sec.android.app.multiwindow"
            android:required="false" />
        <meta-data android:name="com.sec.android.support.multiwindow" android:value="true" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.sec.android.multiwindow.DEFAULT_SIZE_W"
            android:value="480dip" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.sec.android.multiwindow.DEFAULT_SIZE_H"
            android:value="800dip" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.sec.android.multiwindow.MINIMUM_SIZE_W"
            android:value="200dip" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.sec.android.multiwindow.MINIMUM_SIZE_H"
            android:value="400dip" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.samsung.android.sdk.multiwindow.enable"
            android:value="true" />
        <meta-data
        android:name="com.samsung.android.sdk.multiwindow.multiinstance.enable"
            android:value="true" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="android.intent.category.MULTIWINDOW_LAUNCHER"
            android:value="true" />
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.sec.android.intent.category.MULTIWINDOW_LAUNCHER"
            android:value="true" />
        <activity
            android:name=".SplashActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name"
            android:theme="@style/AppTheme"
            android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
                <!-- for samsung multiwindow -->
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.MULTIWINDOW_LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity> 

.....

Your app should be approved now using this approach. Thanks