I initially released a version of my app that utilizes Background Location. Then, our product team decided that it is no longer required, hence I submitted another version that has the Background Location permission removed and accordingly the location prominent disclosure content was updated. However, because my previous versions use Background Location, it is still seen in the Permission Declaration Form of my app and this causes my new release to get rejected due to the prominent disclosure content not indicating the proper wording for background location use. Since I cannot delete a previously released version from google play, I am not sure how I can declare to Google Play reviewers that the future releases of my app will no longer use the background location.
I also do not want to include language on my application for Background Permission use when it does not actually use it.
I tried to reach out to google play support, but could not get a response. I also tried ways to delete previously released apps, or make them inactive, but they still appear on the Permission Declaration Form.
To sum up, I need a way to release the new version of my application that does not use Background Permission, while the previous versions of my app have this permission.
After checking with the Google Play team, I found out that in order to remove the Background Location permission, no app bundle in any track should include this permission. So, even if the app bundle I am submitting currently (to Closed Testing Track let's say) does not have the Background Location permission, as long as any app bundle from any another track (in Production or Internal Testing Track) includes this permission, Play Reviewers will base their review on the fact that the app uses Background Location.
The review was concluded successfully after I updated each bundle on every track with the app version that does not use Background Location permission.