The sections below list the guidelines and requirements for apps +participating in Google Play for Education. + +
Before you include your app in Google Play for Education, set up a test environment and make sure your app meets all +of the safety, usability, and quality guidelines given here. You can use the +linked resources to help +you develop a great app for students that offers compelling content and an +intuitive user experience on Android tablets.
+ +In addition, ensure that your app complies with the terms of a Google Play for Education Addendum, as well as +the standard Google Play Developer Program Policies and Developer Distribution Agreement.
+ + +To participate, your apps must be designed to be appropriate for +the K-12 market. The basic requirements that your apps must meet are:
+ +Google Play for Education provides a simple and secure environment for students +and teachers. To support that environment, priced or free apps that do not use in-app +purchases are preferred, as are apps that do not display ads. Apps that use in-app +payments or ads are acceptable, but you must declare those behaviors when opting-in +to Google Play for Education. Your app's use of in-app purchases or ads will be +disclosed to educators when they are browsing for content.
+ +Follow the guidelines below to help your app receive the + highest ratings and offer the best possible user-experience.
+ +If your app is priced or sells in-app products, you must:
+ +Note: In-app +purchases are blocked on Google Play for Education tablets at this time.
+ +If your app displays ads, you should: +
We discourage the use of ads within apps included in Google Play for Education. +While ads are allowed, please note that the Google Play for Education site will +flag apps that display ads, so educators can choose use apps that are ad-free. +Similarly, we also discourage any UI within your app that exposes in-app purchase +to students.
+ + +Apps submitted to Google Play for Education will be evaluated by a +third-party educator network, which will review them based on alignment with Common Core Standards and other factors. This will help +make your content more discoverable for teachers and administrators as they +browse by grade level, subject, core curriculum, and other parameters.
+ +Apps with highest educational value will have these characteristics:
+As you design and develop your app, make sure it offers high educational value +by addressing as many of those characteristics as possible.
+ + +Google Play for Education brings educational content to students and teachers +on Android tablets. Your apps should be designed to perform well and look great +on Android tablets, and they should offer the best user experience possible. +
+ +High quality apps are engaging, intuitive, and offer compelling content. +Google Play for Education will highlight high-quality apps for easy discovery in +the store. Here are some recommendations for making your app easy for students +and teachers to enjoy.
+ +To test your app and assess it against the guidelines in this document, it's +recommended that you set up a test environment that replicates the actual +environment in which students and teachers will run your app.
+ +In general, you should use the test environment described in +Setting Up a Test Environment for Tablets, including a small number of +actual hardware devices that replicate the tablet form factors used in the +Google Play for Education.
+ +Google Play for Education uses primarily Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 devices, so +your testing can focus on those specific hardware devices. You can purchase the +devices from Google Play and other stores. Although testing on Nexus +devices is preferred, you can test on other 7-inch or 10-inch tablets or virtual +devices if you don't have access to Nexus devices.
+ +Once you've set up a suitable hardware environment, make sure to test your +apps under conditions that simulate those of schools. For example, Google Play +for Education lets administrators control or disable certain capabilities for +students, so it's good to test your app with those capabilities disabled. Below +are some conditions to test your app in, to ensure best results in the Google +Play for Education environment:
+ +If you've got a great app for education or just an idea for one, plan to be a part of Google Play for Education to reach even more teachers and students. It's -easy to participate, and you will be able to offer new or existing Android apps -using the familiar tools in Google Play.
+easy to participate, and you'll be able to offer new or existing Android apps +using familiar tools and processes in Google Play. -To get started, review the sections in this document and learn about the -safety, usability, and quality guidelines that apps should meet. Assess your -apps against these guidelines and make any adjustments needed. You can use the -linked resources to help you develop a great app for students that offers -compelling content and an intuitive user experience on Android tablets.
+To get started, review the sections in this document and learn how to make +your apps available through Google Play for Education. Also make sure to read Guidelines for +Apps for information on the safety, usability, and quality standards that +your apps should meet. When your app is ready, you can opt-in to Google Play for +Education from the Developer Console.
-Note that the initial launch of Google Play for Education is planned for Fall +2013 and will include schools in the United States only, with support for other +countries to follow. At this time, please include your app in Google Play for +Education only if it is targeting the US K-12 market.
-To participate, your apps must be designed to be usable and appropriate for -the K-12 market. The basic requirements that your apps must meet are:
+ +Google Play for Education lets you put your educational apps in front of a +new audience of teachers and students. You can develop and publish using +familiar tools and processes, such as your existing Developer Console account +and your current distribution and pricing settings. It's easy to participate +— the sections below outline the process.
+ +To prepare for a successful launch on Google Play for Education, start by +reviewing the guidelines for educational apps in Google Play and the policies +that apply to your apps. See Guidelines for +Apps for details.
+ +Also, make sure that your are familiar with the policies that your app must +comply with, including +content +policies, the developer agreement, and Google Play for Education Addendum.
+ +A great app for educators and students is designed for classroom use, looks +great on tablets, and delivers a compelling feature set for teachers and +students. If you are developing an app for education, make sure that it is +appropriate for K-12 classrooms, offers educational value, and is refined to +offer a polished, high-quality tablet experience.
+ +Assess your app against the criteria listed in Guidelines for +Apps and plan on supporting them to the greatest extent possible. In some +cases you might need to modify your features or UI to support the requirements +of the classroom use-case. It's a good idea to identify those areas early in +development so that you are able address them properly.
+ +With Google Play for Education, optimizing your app for tablets is a crucial +part of getting your app ready for distribution to educators. A variety of +resources are available to help you understand what you need to optimize for +tablets — a good starting point is the Tablet App Quality +Guidelines.
+ +Throughout design and development, it's important to have a suitable device +on which to prototype and test your user experience. It's highly recommended +that you acquire one or more tablet devices and set up your testing environment +as early as possible. The recommended hardware device that replicates the Google +Play for Education environment is the Nexus 7, which is available from Google Play and other stores.
+ +Proper testing and quality assurance are key aspects of delivering a great +app for teachers and students. Make sure you set up a +proper test environment to ensure that your app meets guidelines under +realistic conditions.
+ +To participate in Google Play for Education, you must agree to a Google Play for Education Addendum +to the standard Developer Distribution Agreement.
+ +Before you opt-in, review the Addendum completely and make any necessary +modifications to your app.
+When you've built your release-ready APK and tested to ensure that it meets +the app guidelines, +upload it to the Developer Console, create your store listing, and set +distribution options. If you aren't familiar with how to prepare for launch on +Google Play, see the Launch Checklist.
+ +When your app is ready to publish, you can opt-in to Google Play for +Education from the Developer Console. Opt-in means that you want your app to be +made available to educators through Google Play for Education, including review, +classification, and approval by our third-party educator network. Note that +opt-in does not affect the availability of your app in Google Play Store.
+ +Opt-in also confirms that your app complies with Google Play Developer Program +Policies and the Developer Distribution Agreement, +including a Google Play for Education +Addendum. If you are not familiar with these policy documents or the +Addendum, make sure to read them before opting-in.
+ +Here's how to opt-in to Google Play for Education for a specific app:
+Opt-in for apps: +Include your app in Google Play for Education by opting-in from the Developer Console.
+Once you save changes and publish your app, the app will be submitted to our +third-party educator network for review and approval. If the app is already +published, it will be submitted for review as soon as you opt-in and save your +changes.
-App content submitted to Google Play for Education will be reviewed by -educators who will categorize the apps and align them with Common Core Standards. This will help make your content -discoverable in a way that is easy for teachers and administrators.
+Note: Google Play for Education is part of +Google Play. When you publish an app that's opted-in to Google Play for +Education, the app becomes available to users in Google Play right away. After +the app is reviewed and approved, it then becomes available to educators in +Google Play for Education.
+Google Play for Education provides content to educators in a way that's +properly organized by subject, grade level, and common core standards (where +applicable). To ensure high educational value and proper classification, we work +with a third-party educator network to review and approve apps before making +them discoverable through the Google Play for Education browsing tools.
-Google Play for Education provides a simple and secure environment in which -educators can buy apps in a way that's easy for schools — through purchase -orders. Your apps must support this environment by ensuring that they:
+Our third-party educator network will evaluate apps according to educational +value and alignment with K-12 core standards, then assign the metadata for +subject, grade level, and core curriculum that makes them easily browseable for +educators. To understand how your apps will be evaluated, please see the Guidelines for +Apps document.
-As soon as you opt-in to Google Play for Education and publish, your app is +queued for review by our third-party educator network. The review and approval +process can take 3-4 weeks or more. You'll receive notification +by email (to your developer account address) when the review is complete, with a +summary of the review results.
-In addition, it's highly recommended that your apps:
-Google Play for Education brings educational content to students and teachers -on Android tablets. Your apps should be designed to perform well and look great -on Android tablets, and they should offer the best user experience possible. +
Note: Until the full product launch in Fall +2013, please expect the initial review of your app to take longer than usual.
-High quality apps are engaging, intuitive, and offer compelling content. -Google Play for Education will highlight high-quality apps for easy discovery in -the store. Here are some recommendations for making your app easy for students -and teachers to enjoy.
+At any time, you can check the review and approval status of your app in the +Developer Console, under "Google Play for Education" in the app's Pricing and +Distribution page. There are three approval states:
In addition, it's highly recommended that your apps:
-If you have questions about the review status of your app, follow the process +discussed in the next section.
-If you have an existing educational app in Google Play, the classroom -environment offered by Google Play for Education presents a slightly different -set of needs, requirements, and also opportunities.
+After your app is reviewed you'll receive an email giving you the review +results, including whether the app was approved, how the app was classified, and +what issues may need to be addressed. You'll receive the email at the address +you specified for your developer account.
-We're working to give you the tools you need to build for the classroom -environment from a single APK, delivered as a single product to all of your -users in Google Play. Our goal is to let you customize your app's UI and -features as minimally or deeply as you need, to provide a simple, intuitive, and -beautiful learning experience.
+If you believe your app was reviewed or classified incorrectly, you will be +able to appeal and request reconsideration. Watch for more information on the +appeal process and links in the weeks to come.
-Watch for more information on developer tools coming in the weeks ahead. -We'll update this page as we roll out tools for you to use. As a starting point, -we recommend planning your app's design and ensuring its optimization on Nexus -tablets.
+Note: Support and appeal forms are not yet +available, but will be available soon.
+ + +Leading up to the full launch in Fall 2013, Google Play for Education will be +available to participating schools across the United States as part of a pilot +program. Educators in participating schools can browse for apps and purchase +them in bulk, then deploy them instantly to teacher and student devices.
+ +As an app developer, you can take part in the pilot program, getting your app +into the hands of schools and key influencers in the education technology +community. It's a great way to get early feedback on your educational app. To +offer your app in the pilot program, just prepare the app, ensure that it meets the +Guidelines for +Apps, and then opt-in to Google Play for Education, as described above.
+ +Once your app is approved during review by our third-party educator network, +it will be made available to educators in the pilot program right away. Note +that, during the pilot program, the review and approval process may take longer +than usual.
+ +The initial launch of Google Play for Education is planned for Fall 2013. The +pilot program and full launch will include schools in the United States only, +with support for schools in other countries to follow.
+ +At this time, you should include your app in Google Play for Education only +if it is targeting the US K-12 market.
\ No newline at end of file diff --git a/docs/html/distribute/googleplay/publish/preparing.jd b/docs/html/distribute/googleplay/publish/preparing.jd index 0cbc27037f2df..5593f4f8efc97 100644 --- a/docs/html/distribute/googleplay/publish/preparing.jd +++ b/docs/html/distribute/googleplay/publish/preparing.jd @@ -81,6 +81,10 @@ violations, termination of your developer account.Related resources: