"This app is not available for any of your devices" for my Android Wearable app

Question

I have been stuck in this for months and don't know if I am using the right tags but I'll try again hoping someone answers.

I have developed a private wearable app for the company I work for. The Wearable app is standalone meaning it's only to downloadable for Smart Watches as its only platform. The app displays this message next to the installation button on the Playstore on the PC "This app is not available for any of your devices".

I contacted the support team of Google several times but they didn't really offer me any tangible solution. One time I was told that if the app is accepted in the WearOS program this might resolve the issue. My latest release got rejected but no email notifying me of the reason was sent.

I was advised to file an appeal. I got a response last week, telling me my latest APK of my app has been accepted meaning it complied with the WearOS guidelines. Yet the same problem persists.

My app still display the message "This app is not available for any of your devices" AND the Google Play Console did not change my WearOS release to accepted. But at the same time when I asked the specialist that responded to my appeal he confirmed that my latest APK of the designated App with the designated package is indeed approved.

So now I don't know what to do. What are the causes for such an error? I checked the manifest file for any missing lines like <uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.type.watch"/> and this:

 <uses-library
            android:name="com.google.android.wearable"
            android:required="true" />

        <!--
               Set to true if your app is Standalone, that is, it does not require the handheld
               app to run.
        -->
        <meta-data
            android:name="com.google.android.wearable.standalone"
            android:value="true" />

permissions:

 <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
<uses-feature android:name="android.hardware.type.watch" />
 <uses-permission android:name="com.android.vending.BILLING" />

when I was looking at things that are to be included when packaging and preparing a wearable app for release. So I honestly don't know what to do anymore.

My targetSDK is 31 and minimumSDK is 26. The watch I used in development as well as other watches in the company are among supported devices found in the Device Catalogue. Also the app is made available to all countries out there.

So what am I missing? What could be the source of the problem? Who do I ask (besides here of course)? I'm losing my mind trying to figure out what to do.

Answer 1

Have you tried accessing your app from a Wear OS device (by searching for your app using the Play Store app of the watch), rather than a PC - if it is for Wear OS, it won't install on a PC right? :-)

AND the Google Play Console did not change my WearOS release to accepted. But at the same time when I asked the specialist that responded to my appeal he confirmed that my latest APK of the designated App with the designated package is indeed approved

Have you also enabled Wear OS as a release type in the Advanced settings of the Play console?