Update your MobileFirst Android apps to API Level 26
Srihari Kulkarni October 10, 2018
MobileFirst_Platform MobileFirst_Foundation Announcement API_26
If you have been following the mobile developers’ chatter on the internet, you are probably already aware that new apps submitted to the Google Play Store requires apps to target API level 26 (Android Oreo) or higher, since August 1, 2018. Existing apps on the Play Store will have to target their apps to API 26 (Android Oreo) or higher before publishing any updates starting November 1, 2018.
Important: App updates that do not target API 26 or higher will be rejected from the Play Store starting November 1, 2018.
To prevent your MobileFirst app updates from being blocked in Google Play Store and to be able to continue to publish updates to your app, change the targerSdkVersion to 26 or higher in your build.gradle.
In accordance with the support plan for IBM MobileFirst, all existing apps built on MobileFirst v7.1 and v8.0 will be compliant with this new requirement.
Update: To keep your existing MobileFirst v7.1 apps compatible with API level 26, upgrade to the iFix 7.1.0.0-MFPF-IF201810081403.
No action is required for apps built on MobileFirst v8.0.
This support does not extend to MobileFirst v7.0 and earlier releases.
Mandatory: If you are still publishing apps built on MobileFirst v7.0 or earlier, please upgrade your apps to MobileFirst 7.1 or 8.0 immediately.
This restriction is only for apps that are distributed through the Google Play Store and is not applicable to apps distributed through App Center.
Also, read our earlier posts on supporting Android Oreo and Android Pie.
Inclusive terminology note: The Mobile First Platform team is making changes to support the IBM® initiative to replace racially biased and other discriminatory language in our code and content with more inclusive language. While IBM values the use of inclusive language, terms that are outside of IBM's direct influence are sometimes required for the sake of maintaining user understanding. As other industry leaders join IBM in embracing the use of inclusive language, IBM will continue to update the documentation to reflect those changes.