Android Question How to test an apk on all versions of Android?

vecino · Jun 18, 2020

Hello, every now and then I get a call, or an email, from a customer who complains that something is not working.
After a lot of research I discover that the culprit is a change I don't know about in some version of Android that I haven't been able to test.

For example, the latest has been "GetSubscriberId" which now forces me to make changes in the program, notifying all customers to update and register again with a new identifier.

My problem in this case is that I don't have any device with a modern version of Android.
So my question is: how do you test your apk on all versions of Android?
I have three smartphones and three tablets, but the most modern one has Android 6.
Do I have to buy a device with every new Android version? I hope not
Any suggestions?
Thank you.

Martin Larsen · Jun 18, 2020

Apart from my phone running Android 9 I use Genymotion for tests. It is a very fast and effective emulator which works very well. It is very simple to install Google Play services on Genymotion.

As I use Linux, I develop with B4X in VirtualBox running Windows 7. But Genymotion is running directly in Linux. That setup works fine.

If you run Windows of course you just install Genymotion normally.

vecino · Jun 18, 2020

Hi, I've been using Linux forever too. I also use VirtualBox for B4X with win7.
With Genymotion can you change the Android version or is it fixed?
Thank you.

JohnC · Jun 18, 2020

Also, some emulators need a PC running with an Intel CPU (AMD CPU's might not work).

JohnC · Jun 18, 2020

Also, the Android SDK's emulator allows you to select the Android version:

GUI AVD Manager / Emulator

B4A Sdk Manager v2 adds support for managing Android Virtual Devices (AVDs): Before you start, make sure to download the latest version of B4A Sdk Manager and to install all the recommended items. Click on the AVD Manager button to open AVD Manager: You need to choose the screen size and...

www.b4x.com

Martin Larsen · Jun 18, 2020

vecino said:
With Genymotion can you change the Android version or is it fixed?

You can install as many Android versions as you like. It only takes a minute. You then start the wanted device. You can even start several devices at the same time, for example if you develop apps that talks to each other. Of course, you need enough RAM for this.

I find it much easier to work with Genymotion than the official emulators.

Don Oso · Jun 18, 2020

Try AWS Device Farm

asales · Jun 18, 2020

vecino said:
I have three smartphones and three tablets, but the most modern one has Android 6.
Do I have to buy a device with every new Android version? I hope not

I have old smartphones from Motorola and Samsung and I update with the ROMs available to them.
Now I have devices with Android 5.1, 7.1, 9.0 and 10.0 to make tests.
Better than buy a new device.

vecino · Jun 18, 2020

asales said:
I have old smartphones from Motorola and Samsung and I update with the ROMs available to them.
Now I have devices with Android 5.1, 7.1, 9.0 and 10.0 to make tests.
Better than buy a new device.

That's something I have yet to learn.
Right now, since I don't know him, I think it's too complicated and dangerous.

vecino · Jun 18, 2020

Martin Larsen said:
You can install as many Android versions as you like. It only takes a minute. You then start the wanted device. You can even start several devices at the same time, for example if you develop apps that talks to each other. Of course, you need enough RAM for this.

I find it much easier to work with Genymotion than the official emulators.

Well, that's easy, I hadn't thought about linux emulators, I didn't know that at all.
By the way, how do you install your apk to test in the emulator? do you send it by email, ftp, memory card, pendrive...?

Martin Larsen · Jun 19, 2020

vecino said:
Well, that's easy, I hadn't thought about linux emulators, I didn't know that at all.
By the way, how do you install your apk to test in the emulator? do you send it by email, ftp, memory card, pendrive...?

Usually I just install B4A Bridge in the emulator and then connect the IDE to it. It's like using a normal phone. Alternatively you can simple drag and drop the apk file onto the emulator, then it will install.

vecino · Jun 19, 2020

Martin Larsen said:
Usually I just install B4A Bridge in the emulator and then connect the IDE to it. It's like using a normal phone. Alternatively you can simple drag and drop the apk file onto the emulator, then it will install.

That's great.
Thank you very much.

mcqueccu · Jun 19, 2020

Upload your APK to Appetize.io and emulate from there.

You will get from Android 4.4 upwards from there, also be able to rotate the screens, choose different device sizes example phones or tablets, take screenshots, etc

You can test you iOS(IPA) files too with it.

vecino · Jun 19, 2020

Hello, unfortunately, the joy was short-lived. With genymotion I tried 3 different systems and in all of them I always get the following error, when my apk is in the installation process.
It doesn't show any more messages, so I don't know what it is due to.
I'll have to try something else :/

sorex · Jun 19, 2020

what api levels did you define in the manifest?

if you set it higher than the api of the virtual machine I believe you get such errors.

Martin Larsen · Jun 19, 2020

Also try build in release mode and drag the apk file to genymotion. I use Genymotion on several machines as do someone I work with. I never had this problem.

vecino · Jun 19, 2020

I'm using api26 and the virtual machines are android 5, 6 and 9.

sorex · Jun 19, 2020

9 should work, the others not according to this site

Codenames, tags, and build numbers | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

vecino · Jun 19, 2020

Sorry, this is exactly it:
<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="5" android:targetSdkVersion="26"/>
Because some users have very old devices.

Martin Larsen · Jun 19, 2020

Does it work in Genymotion with a higher SDK version?

Android Question How to test an apk on all versions of Android?

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