How to distribute android phone+wearOS projects in same play console store listing

Question

I have a phone project, as well as a watch (wearOS) project. 90% of the code is shared between the two projects, and I would like to package and distribute them in the same store listing. Note: All shared code exists in a common library module.

I have tried adding the watch project as a module to my existing phone project, but when generating an app bundle for release it outputs two bundles, one for each project. In the past releasing with multiple APKs targeting different devices seems to have been possible but with multiple app bundles I receive this error in the play console:

You can't rollout this release because it doesn't allow any existing users to upgrade to the newly added app bundles.

I'm looking for solutions to be able to release both projects in the same store listing, documentation on this topic seems sparse or I'm doing something very wrong.

Answer 1

I suspect this error is protecting you from trying to install the watch bundle on mobiles, which doesn't work.

Are you sure you are releasing a version with both wear and mobile bundles? Do both show up in the release?

Does your wear app have the following in the manifest?

    <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.type.watch" />
...
    <application
...
       <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.wearable.standalone"
            android:value="true" />

Docs which don't specifically solve this but cover the release process for anyone else who hits this.

https://developer.android.com/training/wearables/packaging

https://developer.android.com/distribute/best-practices/launch/distribute-wear

Have you tried support through the play store console? Or https://support.google.com/googleplay/community

Answer 2

Ah, I think you have to click the 'Include' button / text on the previous AAB / APK (the phone app) which is listed below the watch AAB you have dragged in... Not great UX on Google side...