This feature requires a BoxCast OTT App Subscription. If you don't currently have OTT Apps, you can learn more about pricing here, or reach out to your CSM to add it.
Set Brand Color + Logo
Set the Brand Color and Logo under Brand & SEO in your BoxCast OTT Dashboard.
Set Up Google Play Console Record
If you already have a Google Developer account, skip right to building your app. Otherwise, create your Google Developer account from following these instructions.
Once your Google developer account has been created, you will need to create a new App.
Build Your BoxCast OTT App
Create a JSON Key
Creating your JSON Key requires several steps, the first of which is set up a service account in the Google Cloud Console.
Navigate to https://console.cloud.google.com and click the button indicated below (“boxcast.com” in this example).
Click New Project
Type your desired Project name, select your Organization and folder Location, and then click the Create button.
In your new project, click the navigation pane button top-left of the page.
Navigate to (1) APIs & Services and (2) Library.
Search for and select the Google Play Android Developer API, and then click to Enable the API.
Upon the API console loading, navigate to (1) Credentials, click (2) Create credentials, and select (3) Service account.
Name the Service account name the same as your app, followed by clicking the CREATE AND CONTINUE button.
Assign this service account the Owner role, click CONTINUE, and then click DONE.
Having been redirected to the API console where the service account now appears, click the pencil icon to edit the new service account.
Click the KEYS tab
Click on (1) ADD KEY and then select (2) Create new key.
Select Key type JSON and click the Create button. The JSON key file will be generated and downloaded to your computer. Please keep this file safe, as you cannot download it again once it is created.
Copy the email address of the service account before going to your Google Play Console.
In your Google Play Console, navigate to (1) Users and permissions, and then (2) click the Invite new users button.
From (1) the App permissions tab, (2) paste the copied service account email where asked, followed by (3) clicking Add app to select the app just created, and then (4) click Apply.
(1) Grant Admin permission for access to your Android app and (2) click the Apply button.
From (1) the Account Permissions tab, (2) grant Admin permission, followed by (3) clicking Invite user, and then (4) click Send Invite.
This allows our automated system to "talk" with your Google Play Console account.
You are now ready to fill out the BoxCast OTT app fulfillment form!
Play Store Information
This section only needs to be completed once, but note that it cannot be changed once submitted. Be careful to make sure all of your information is correct. If you submit incorrect information by mistake, contact BoxCast Technical Support via questions@boxcast.com.
Begin by logging in to your BoxCast OTT dashboard, navigating to the Distribution page, and then clicking the Open Form button for Android.
App Name
As it is listed in the Google Play Store, enter the complete name of your app into the field labeled App Name.
Google Play Console JSON Key
Upload the JSON key file you downloaded earlier from Google.
Placeholder Build
To complete connecting BoxCast OTT to Google Play Console, you will need to manually upload a build to Google Play Console. To assist with this, BoxCast OTT will generate a placeholder build for you to use. After this process is completed, you won't be required to do it again. Follow the steps below:
Download your placeholder build file. This may take several minutes to generate. You may leave the page and come back later and your progress will be saved.
Sign in to your Google Play Console account.
Create a new release.
Go to the Test and Release page.
Open the Testing menu in the sidebar.
Click the Internal Testing link.
Click Create New Release.
Upload the placeholder build file you received from BoxCast OTT in step 1. Drag and drop this file into the App Bundles section.
Wait for the upload to process. This can take a minute or two.
Once the upload has processed click Next, followed by clicking Save and Publish.
An internal release will be created. Your viewers will not be able to see or use this release. This uses the placeholder build file to help BoxCast OTT gather all the data needed to automatically upload your real Android app builds to Google Play Console in the future.
Image Assets
Design your app’s appearance on Android from your BoxCast OTT Dashboard.
Icon
This required image represents your Android app on the app store and on your viewers' Android devices. This image must not contain transparency.
Round Icon
This icon variant is optional and may be used to upload a rounded version of your App Icon, for viewers who have round app icons in their device theme. This variant should be similar to your regular App Icon for recognizability.
Build
Congratulations! You’ve assembled all the data you need to build your Android app. Make sure all entries are correct, and then submit your build request. Our system will be hard at work constructing your app for you - no developer required. App builds can take 30-60 minutes to process.
Submit Your App For Review
When your build is complete, a link to Google Play Console will appear on your BoxCast OTT's Distribution page. The following steps do not occur in BoxCast OTT, but in Google’s Google Play Console.
Prepare for Review
Open the Google Play Console and navigate to your App dashboard.
App Content
Google asks several questions about the content served on your app. These questions can be answered in the App content tab at the bottom of the sidebar menu.
Questionnaires
Not all questionnaires will apply to your app but you have to complete them all. For questionnaires that are not applicable, simply say so within the questionnaire.
Privacy policy: Add your own privacy policy for your app store listing.
Ads
App access
Create a viewer account in your OTT web app for the reviewer to use. Save the username and password. Do not use your own account info. Save the username and password for that viewer account to this section of the app review submission.
Content rating
Target audience
News apps
Data safety
Select Username and Password as your method of account creation.
Select Name, Email address, and User IDs as personal info collected.
Government apps
Financial features
Health apps
App category and contact details
Store settings
After completing the content review, configure your app store appearance. Navigate in the Google Play Console to Grow > Store presence > Store settings.
Here, you’ll want to provide the following information:
App Name (same as here)
Short description
Full description
App icon (same as here)
Feature graphic
Screenshots
BoxCast OTT automatically takes multiple screenshots of your app during the build phase, and uploads them to the app store for you. Google requires at least one screenshot of the app to display. Review these screenshots, and delete any that appear broken or are duplicates. If there are no screenshots, please contact BoxCast Technical Support via questions@boxcast.com.
If you fail to delete poor screenshots (like a loading screen), it can result in Google rejecting your app. If this happens, simply log back into your Google Play account, delete the bad screenshots, and resubmit.
Create Production Release
It’s nearly time to publish! Under the Production tab is where you’ll complete your final steps.
Complete the final checklist for your app. Go to Publishing overview.
Android app store reviewers will now review your app. Once reviewed, your app will either publish automatically, or if you enabled Managed publishing you will be able to publish it yourself at any time.
Congratulations! Your viewers may now access your BoxCast OTT content from their Android devices.