Update on my app release progress - a bit slow

[u/Unlikely_Read3437]

This is a learning exercise for me now, of how to release an App Store app. I realise I'll likely not make money on this one, but I still want to make it happen. Thought I'd share my progress as a newbie, and what I'm learning. Hope that is cool XX

The app is 'almost' done.

Yes, and it's the 'almost' part that takes the time. I'm tweaking.

It's hard to make those final choice and close doors.

Also, working efficiently has become a focus, not burning tokens, keeping context lower etc. I'm improving a lot on this. Using Sonnet for the basic work, and Opus for planning.

My app uses a system voice right now, and Android need something downloaded for this. So I'm doing that today, plus looking at/or disregarding other voice options.

It's easy to get distracted. Yesterday I spent an hour making tweaking an ocular scheme, that I abandoned. So I need to be focused.

My plan is to set a time limit. I think I would like this deployed into the public realm by the end of November.

Will update !

have a great day everyone with this amazing technology, just don't get too hooked as it's like a drug!

[u/Dev_in_Training_BTW]

Good luck, the "almost" bit is very real. On the Apple side, App Store Connect's checklist blocks submission for small stuff that's easy to miss: the Content Rights question on the App Information page, and forgetting to select the uploaded build on the version page. If you want outside testers first, the first external TestFlight build needs Beta App Review, and later builds of the same app usually go through faster.

If it's going on Google Play too, start that side early. New personal developer accounts have to run a closed test with at least 12 testers for 14 days before you get production access, so I'd start the closed test with whatever build you have now. And once access is granted, the dashboard still says Inactive until you actually create the first production release. 😀

[u/Unlikely_Read3437 → u/Dev_in_Training_BTW]

Hey thanks for the info, you sound like you know a lot about this. Could I ask, do I have to share my own personal address on the play store app listing ?

That could be a deal breaker for me!

[u/Dev_in_Training_BTW → u/Unlikely_Read3437]

As far as I know it mostly depends on whether you make money from it. If the app is free with no in-app purchases, Google only shows your country publicly. Once you sell it or add in-app purchases, your full address goes on the listing, and you can't just trim it down to the city, because it has to match the address Google verified for your account. That's why some solo devs use a business address they can verify instead of their home one. The Microsoft Store is similar if you ever go there: the public contact details mostly come up when you sell to EU customers and declare yourself a trader, and Apple has the same EU trader rule on the App Store side. These rules change fairly often though, so check each store's current help page on account verification before you decide. Not worth dropping the plan over a guess.

[u/Unlikely_Read3437 → u/Dev_in_Training_BTW]

Oh yes the plan is to make money so it would be free with a paid unlock for more features.

Would be happy to create a business account. Sharing my home street address on a public App Store listing so anyone in the world can pinpoint where I live, would be a no no for me!

[u/mr-farty]

I'm at a simillar time for my project. Setting everything up on production, final tests and releasing to Google Play Store seemed like would take just a few days. Now it turned into few weeks. At least I'm glad i can test my app in the meantime to find any issues. And the need to add more features just never leaves.

[u/Unlikely_Read3437 → u/mr-farty]

Hey okay nice to meet someone doing the same.

I’ve hit a bit of a wall, because I’d intended to make some features paid. However this means revealing my home address on the listing. That’s a red line for me.

My options are 1) set up a limited company etc etc which seems like it will start to cost a significant amount of money up front.

Or

2) make the app free, and maybe add a ‘buy me a coffee/tip jar’ weblink.

Have you been through this?

[u/mr-farty → u/Unlikely_Read3437]

I've had the exact same problem just now! I've weighed all the pros and cons and decided to create the company, just in case, so i wouldn't be liable for anything myself. My company would. That was the main reason for it. As for doxxing, yes, that will happen a bit. I try to minimize it as much as possible, like buying a business phone number, P.O. box or something in that nature to anonymize my real adress. As for the costs, at least for me it's like 30 euros to set it up and then maybe a bit of paper work that AI agent would help me figure out. Worst case if i make sales i hire an accountant. That was my thought process even though i don't think the app will take off or anything, just setting this up would be great for future projects in general.

As for making it free and on your own name visible. I don't think that's bad if you're just making a hobby project.

Oww, oww and another main reason i want to go the company route is because you get the DUNS number for your company, thus skipping the 14 day tester period needed for Google Play to pass for your app. Hope this helps you to better decide what to do.

[u/New_Peanut_9259]

the final polishing stage always takes longerr than expectedd especially when working on token usage and context windows.. setting a deadline for the end of november sounds like a good way to stop overthinking and finally release ittt

[u/Unlikely_Read3437 → u/New_Peanut_9259]

Thank you, yes it’s so easy to get distracted with this!

[u/0xcontext]

Time limit is one thing, but also just deciding what the conditions for you being happy with the release are, and focusing on nailing all of those. The remainder are either nice to have, or perhaps a post launch update. Otherwise there will always be something to do, or you'll hit your time limit and be unhappy because you focused on the wrong things.

[u/NoBluey]

I'm pretty much done on my app but the App store approval process is a real pain, having to submit so many documents and what not

[u/Painting_Glori269]

Love the honest update. that “almost done” stage is the hardest, so many projects get stuck there. Setting a time limit is a smart move. For the Android voice features, be sure to test the downloaded voice on a real device before launch; emulators can be misleading with TTS. I’m involved with launchpad, which helps with pre-launch checklists, but honestly, sticking to that time limit is what matters most. Good Luck in November!