10 Questions that I Keep Hearing about Windows Phone 8 Beta Apps

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I’ve been working with Windows Phone 8 beta apps for a while now and wanted to share ten questions and answers that I keep hearing people ask. 

  1. When does my beta expire? 90 days after your beta app was successfully submitted to the store. If you don’t remember you can always log in to you dashboard click on apps then select your beta app and it will be listed there.
  2. What happens when the beta expires? You and your users can no longer run it on your phone. Your users will be given the option to send you feedback and uninstall the app.
  3. Does a beta app count against your submission credits? No.
  4. Can the developer remove the beta app from a users phone once it is installed (through the store cloud etc)? No they will have to remove it themselves or wait until it expires.
  5. What happens if I un-publish the beta from the Dev center? This will prevent anyone new from installing it. It will not remove itself from anyone who has already installed it.
  6. Is a Microsoft account really required to beta test an app? Yes.
  7. Can you charge for a beta app? No MS will not allow you to set a price for a beta when you are originally submitting it.
  8. Can in-app purchases be beta tested? Yes they can and MS encourages people implementing in-app purchasing to do so for additional testing. 
  9. Are all beta apps hidden from the store? Yes. Only people that you have listed as a beta tester will receive a link to download it. 
  10. Can you extend the beta? No I’ve researched this and the only thing you can do is resubmit the app as another beta once it expires.

Bonus: Can you update an app in beta or do you need to start over? You can update an app in beta. No need to start over.

If I’ve missed a question that you would like answered then just leave a comment below or ping me on Twitter.

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