Programmatically check Play Store for app updates

Firebase Remote Config could be a possible and reliable solution for now, since google didn't expose any api to it.

Check Firebase Remote Config Docs

Steps 1.Create a firebase project and add google_play_service.json to your project

2.Create keys like "android_latest_version_code" and "android_latest_version_name" in firebase console->Remote Config

3.Android Code

    public void initializeFirebase() {
        if (FirebaseApp.getApps(mContext).isEmpty()) {
            FirebaseApp.initializeApp(mContext, FirebaseOptions.fromResource(mContext));
        }
        final FirebaseRemoteConfig config = FirebaseRemoteConfig.getInstance();
        FirebaseRemoteConfigSettings configSettings = new FirebaseRemoteConfigSettings.Builder()
                                                              .setDeveloperModeEnabled(BuildConfig.DEBUG)
                                                              .build();
        config.setConfigSettings(configSettings);
}

Get current version name and code

int playStoreVersionCode = FirebaseRemoteConfig.getInstance().getString(
                "android_latest_version_code");
PackageInfo pInfo = this.getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(getPackageName(), 0);
int currentAppVersionCode = pInfo.versionCode; 
if(playStoreVersionCode>currentAppVersionCode){
//Show update popup or whatever best for you
}

4. And keep firebase "android_latest_version_code" and "android_latest_version_name" upto date with your current production version name and code.

Firebase remote config works on both Android and IPhone.

Update 17 October 2019

https://developer.android.com/guide/app-bundle/in-app-updates

Update 24 april 2019:

Android announced a feature which will probably fix this problem. Using the in-app Updates API: https://android-developers.googleblog.com/2018/11/unfolding-right-now-at-androiddevsummit.html

Original:

As far a I know, there is no official Google API which supports this.

You should consider to get a version number from an API.

Instead of connecting to external APIs or webpages (like Google Play Store). There is a risk that something may change in the API or the webpage, so you should consider to check if the version code of the current app is below the version number you get from your own API.

Just remember if you update your app, you need to change the version in your own API with the app version number.

I would recommend that you make a file in your own website or API, with the version number. (Eventually make a cronjob and make the version update automatic, and send a notification when something goes wrong)

You have to get this value from your Google Play Store page (is changed in the meantime, not working anymore):

<div class="content" itemprop="softwareVersion"> x.x.x  </div>

Check in your app if the version used on the mobile is below the version nummer showed on your own API.

Show indication that she/he needs to update with a notification, ideally.

Things you can do

Version number using your own API

Pros:

• No need to load the whole code of the Google Play Store (saves on data/bandwidth)

Cons:

• User can be offline, which makes checking useless since the API can't be accessed

Version number on webpage Google Play Store

Pros:

• You don't need an API

Cons:

• User can be offline, which makes checking useless since the API can't be accessed
  • Using this method may cost your users more bandwidth/mobile data
  • Play store webpage could change which makes your version 'ripper' not work anymore.

Include JSoup in your apps build.gradle file :

dependencies {
    compile 'org.jsoup:jsoup:1.8.3'
}

and get current version like :

currentVersion = getPackageManager().getPackageInfo(getPackageName(), 0).versionName;

And execute following thread :

private class GetVersionCode extends AsyncTask<Void, String, String> {
    @Override
    protected String doInBackground(Void... voids) {

    String newVersion = null;
    try {
        newVersion = Jsoup.connect("https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=" + MainActivity.this.getPackageName() + "&hl=it")
                .timeout(30000)
                .userAgent("Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; WindowsNT 5.1; en-US; rv1.8.1.6) Gecko/20070725 Firefox/2.0.0.6")
                .referrer("http://www.google.com")
                .get()
                .select(".hAyfc .htlgb")
                .get(7)
                .ownText();
        return newVersion;
    } catch (Exception e) {
        return newVersion;
    }
    }

    @Override
    protected void onPostExecute(String onlineVersion) {
        super.onPostExecute(onlineVersion);
        Log.d("update", "Current version " + currentVersion + "playstore version " + onlineVersion);
        if (onlineVersion != null && !onlineVersion.isEmpty()) {
            if (Float.valueOf(currentVersion) < Float.valueOf(onlineVersion)) {
                //show dialog
            }
        }
    }

For more details visit : http://revisitingandroid.blogspot.in/2016/12/programmatically-check-play-store-for.html