How to submit windows phone app to windows phone marketplace

Introduction

Before going submit your app to windows phone store,it would be best practices to read app polices thoroughly from

App policies for windows phone app submission .  Make sure check once properly about "app navigation's,push notification settings,bing map control, location services, context menu,content visible,App Icon" policies.

Note:This article is updated on August 26,2014

Submitting app to windows phone market is very easy,but to make certification process is little bit difficult.We need to meet the app policies,otherwise app will be rejected.And so please make note once following important policies which are major policies to get app will rejected/accepted

1.Push Notifications  Certification process in windows phone market place:

Certification Requirement:
 "The app must first describe the notifications to be provided and obtain the user’s express permission (opt-in), and must provide a mechanism through which the user can opt out of receiving push notifications. All notifications provided using the Microsoft Push Notification Service must be consistent with the description provided to the user and must comply with all applicable "
Result:fail

In case push notification was implemented  in your app.You need to follow some steps

 1.1. Alert the user when app launching

1.2.Make sure provide setting screen for pushnotifications:

So that , we need to provide an option for user can able to opt-in and opt-out the pushnotification from the following screen

Hints: To do above function you have to take httpchannel object as a global..when user on the pushnotification from the setting,then we need to bind the object with toast ,otherwise unbind the toast

For binding toast with global httpchannel:

C#

if (!((App.Current as App).pushChannel.IsShellToastBound)) 
          { 
               (App.Current as App).pushChannel.BindToShellToast(); 
          }

For unbinding toast with global httpchannel:

C#

if (!((App.Current as App).pushChannel.IsShellToastBound)) 
      { 
           (App.Current as App).pushChannel.UnbindToShellToast(); 
       }

2. BingMap control certification process with group one countries in windows phone market place:

 I was surprised when I was told it failed certification. Reason is Policy 3.10.

Specifically, I got this comments: Your application uses the Bing Maps Silverlight Control for Windows Phone. Bing Maps is not supported for
Group 1 countries at this time. You may resubmit your application and deselect the Group 1 countries.

Result: Fail
So watch out, don’t submit Bing Maps enabled apps to Group 1 countries, which are:

Group 1: China

3. LocationServices certification process:

Certification Requirement:

"Comments: The application does not include a privacy policy explaining how the application uses the location service API. The application does not appear to use the location service API."

Result:Fail

So that you need do some like this in settings screen:

C#

if (IsolatedStorageSettings.ApplicationSettings.Contains("LocationEnable")) 
                { 
                    LocButtonoff.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed;  
                    LocButtonon.Visibility = Visibility.Visible; 
                 } 
               else 
                { 
                    LocButtonoff.Visibility = Visibility.Visible; 
                    LocButtonon.Visibility = Visibility.Collapsed; 
                }

4. Content validation certification process:

Certification Requirement:

"App content, such as text and visual elements, must be visible and legible regardless of the phone theme without panning horizontally or zooming. For example, if the phone theme changes from black background to white background, the text and visual elements of your app must be visible or legible. As another example, when content loads into aWebBrowser control, the text and visual elements must be visible or legible without requiring the user to pan horizontally or zoom."

result:fail

This is the reason why my application failed the first time. Make sure you test your application in both the light and dark theme. The users can completely customize their device and see it in black or white.

The developers don't take into account that the background might be white and they might choose colors that look good in black theme but completely out of place when the theme is light and hence a bad experience for the users".

5. BackButton certification process:

Certification Requirement:

"Pressing the Back button must return the app to the previous page or return to any previous page within the back stack."make sure once your app navigation's must be properly to previous pages

Now you are ready for submitting app to app store;

Submit the Windows Phone App 

Now its time to submit app to marketplace .So First of all, you need to compile your current project for example "MySample".When publishing the Windows Phone App to the Windows Phone store, it is important to build the project in the release configuration mode.To change configuration from debug mode to release mode.Do like this and run your app once.

Finally found your .xap in Bin\Release folder and place it somewhere on your computer.

We need to visit windows phone device center to submit apps at Windows phone store

Click at App Info and fill your app name and press "Reserve app name". 

if you want to submit Beta app For App-in purchase ,The important part of this page is you need to expand More Options and set Distribution channels to Beta. Don't forget to assign the Live email account of your beta tester in the textbox below as well. If you have more than one beta tester, you could separate each one by semi-colons.

Note:If you don't want to submit "Beta" app.Skip above procedure,because by default Distribution channels set to "Public Store" like this :)

Once done, click Save and go to next step Upload and describe you XAP(s)

Press "Add new" option and browse for your XAP file and upload it to Store.

Fill every single mandatory fill (which is not so many)

• Package version number*
• Description*
• Specify keywords(Optional)
• upload the App Icon (300x300 px)*
• Background Image (1000x800px),Suare icon(358x358 px),Wide icon (358x173 px)(Optional)
• Screenshots for every single supported screen resolution.If you are app submission as beta , you could just submit the blank image with specific resolution.*
• If your app uses any credentials for run app through certification,you must enter your app details in store,To do this expand "More package options" in right side of window and enter your details Under "Certification Notes".
  
• If you need to respond to app user comments ,make sure you entered your supporting mail id .To add your "Support email address" metadata you will found "More options for a language" in right side when the time of app store submission like this .
  

After saving .xap file ,then you will redirected to next step is "Review and submit"

After reviewing your details press "Submit" button for final submission .Now you will get successful submission message.And it will take minimum 1 working day to pass your app into app store.

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