The app has used the embedded wear APK distribution model, but since this distribution method is no longer supported since January, the app has been migrated to use a separate Wear APK. Followed the guides to set the wearAppUnbundled true flag in the mobile APK and set the <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.type.watch"/> along with <meta-data android:name="com.google.android.wearable.standalone" android:value="false" /> in the Wear APK.
The only question is what app version code to use when uploading the Google Play? Let's say version 100 is the legacy version with the embedded wear APK. (minsdk 19) Version 300 is the new mobile APK without the wear APK, this has been uploaded to the Play Store. (minsdk19)
Now, what version code to use for the Wear APK? (minsdk 25) If it's set to version code 200 then when preparing the release the Play Console accepts it. However, it says that 300 will not be included in this release. And this is what is scary as one might think that the mobile APK will not be visible on the Play Store if it's released as is based on this message.
Should the "Include" option next to the 300 version APK in the "Not Included" section be used to force the Play Console to keep that one active?
Based on the Multi-APK versioning guide: This scenario might be "shrinking" since the Wear APK is more restricted (due to the min SDK level and the uses-feature declaration). However, since the Wear APK uses a lower version code, the capable devices should still receive 300 by default? This is what is confusing, as based on this I'd assume that the 300 version should not be affected at all by uploading a more restricted lower code APK.
The most important thing is to have the new mobile APK as is, and it shouldn't disappear from the Play Store.
from Migrate a WearOS APK from embedded to Multi-APK - What version code to use to retain mobile APK?
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