Today marks a pretty big milestone for Cedar Harbor Studios: our first official Android app has entered closed testing on Google Play.
Potty Timer is a potty-training timer and progress tracker built for parents and caregivers. What started as a small idea to help keep potty breaks consistent has grown into a full app with adjustable timers, notifications, activity history, calendar tracking, achievements, and tools for recording attempts and successful trips.
Reaching Google Play
Getting the app into Google Play involved quite a bit more than simply uploading a file and pressing publish.
The release process included:
- Preparing and signing the Android App Bundle.
- Creating the Google Play store listing.
- Publishing a privacy policy.
- Configuring notification permissions and timer behavior.
- Setting up advertising and consent handling.
- Completing Google Play's content, audience, advertising, health, and data safety declarations.
- Testing the app through Google Play's internal testing track.
The internal build installed and ran successfully, which allowed us to move forward with the closed testing release.
The Closed Testing Phase
Google requires newer personal developer accounts to complete a closed test before they can request production access.
For Potty Timer, that means at least 12 testers must remain opted into the closed test for 14 consecutive days. Testers can install the app directly through Google Play, try its features, report any problems, and provide feedback before the public release.
To help organize that process, we created the Cedar Harbor Studios Testers Google Group.
The goal is a simple tester-for-tester exchange. Developers who help test our apps are welcome to share their own testing links, and we will return the favor whenever possible.
Still Waiting on a Few Things
The closed testing release has been submitted to Google and is currently going through the review process.
We are also waiting for the new AdMob account and app configuration to finish review. Until that happens, the advertising banner may appear blank during testing even though the integration is already in place.
Once the closed test is approved, the next steps are:
- Enroll enough testers.
- Complete the required 14-day testing period.
- Gather feedback and fix any issues that surface.
- Apply for production access.
- Publish Potty Timer publicly on Google Play.
- Link the public store listing to AdMob.
A First for Cedar Harbor Studios
Seeing Potty Timer installed directly through Google Play already feels like a major accomplishment.
This is the first Cedar Harbor Studios app to reach the formal release process, and much of the work completed here will serve as the foundation for future Android projects.
For now, we are testing, gathering feedback, working through Google's publishing requirements, and probably drinking more coffee than necessary.
More updates will follow as Potty Timer moves closer to its public release.