Google play console | Pre-launch report | Ionic | Unable to start receiver com.google.android.finsky.instantapps.PhenotypeUpdateReceiver

Question

I have uploaded the app for closed testing in google play console. I have received pre-launch report with same crash report on two different devices. Below is the log from google play console:

Exception java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start receiver com.google.android.finsky.instantapps.PhenotypeUpdateReceiver: android.app.BackgroundServiceStartNotAllowedException: Not allowed to start service Intent { act=com.google.android.gms.phenotype.UPDATE cmp=com.android.vending/com.google.android.finsky.instantapps.PhenotypeUpdateService }: app is in background uid UidRecord{5a20ac9 u0a136 TRNB bg:+9m35s109ms idle change:uncached procs:0 seq(0,0,0)}
  at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver (ActivityThread.java:4317)
  at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1600 (ActivityThread.java:247)
  at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage (ActivityThread.java:2064)
  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage (Handler.java:106)
  at android.os.Looper.loopOnce (Looper.java:201)
  at android.os.Looper.loop (Looper.java:288)
  at android.app.ActivityThread.main (ActivityThread.java:7839)
  at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke
  at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run (RuntimeInit.java:548)
  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main (ZygoteInit.java:1003)
Caused by android.app.BackgroundServiceStartNotAllowedException: Not allowed to start service Intent { act=com.google.android.gms.phenotype.UPDATE cmp=com.android.vending/com.google.android.finsky.instantapps.PhenotypeUpdateService }: app is in background uid UidRecord{5a20ac9 u0a136 TRNB bg:+9m35s109ms idle change:uncached procs:0 seq(0,0,0)}
  at android.app.ContextImpl.startServiceCommon (ContextImpl.java:1861)
  at android.app.ContextImpl.startService (ContextImpl.java:1817)
  at android.content.ContextWrapper.startService (ContextWrapper.java:774)
  at alj.a (PG:2)
  at alm.a (PG:3)
  at wnv.a (PG:2)
  at com.google.android.finsky.instantapps.PhenotypeUpdateReceiver.onReceive (PG:6)
  at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver (ActivityThread.java:4308)

ionic info:

Ionic:

   Ionic CLI                     : 6.20.1 (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/@ionic/cli)
   Ionic Framework               : @ionic/angular 4.11.13
   @angular-devkit/build-angular : 0.801.3
   @angular-devkit/schematics    : 8.2.2
   @angular/cli                  : 8.2.2
   @ionic/angular-toolkit        : 2.0.0

Cordova:

   Cordova CLI       : 10.0.0 (cordova-lib@10.1.0)
   Cordova Platforms : android 10.0.0, ios 6.2.0
   Cordova Plugins   : cordova-plugin-ionic-keyboard 2.2.0, cordova-plugin-ionic-webview 5.0.0, (and 26 other plugins)

Utility:

   cordova-res : 0.15.4
   native-run  : not installed globally

System:

   ios-sim : 8.0.2
   NodeJS  : v16.16.0 (/usr/local/bin/node)
   npm     : 8.11.0
   OS      : macOS Monterey
   Xcode   : Xcode 13.4.1 Build version 13F100

Installed plugin list:

cordova-custom-config 5.1.1 "cordova-custom-config"
cordova-open-native-settings 1.5.5 "Native settings"
cordova-plugin-add-swift-support 2.0.2 "AddSwiftSupport"
cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter 1.1.3 "cordova-plugin-androidx-adapter"
cordova-plugin-androidx 3.0.0 "cordova-plugin-androidx"
cordova-plugin-calendar 5.1.6 "Calendar"
cordova-plugin-camera 5.0.3 "Camera"
cordova-plugin-chooser 1.3.1 "Chooser"
cordova-plugin-crop 0.3.1 "CropPlugin"
cordova-plugin-device 2.1.0 "Device"
cordova-plugin-facebook-connect 3.2.0 "Facebook Connect"
cordova-plugin-file-opener2 2.2.1 "File Opener2"
cordova-plugin-file-transfer 2.0.0-dev "File Transfer"
cordova-plugin-file 7.0.0 "File"
cordova-plugin-filepath 1.6.0 "cordova-plugin-filepath"
cordova-plugin-filepicker 1.1.6 "File Picker"
cordova-plugin-geolocation 4.1.0 "Geolocation"
cordova-plugin-googleplus 8.5.2 "Google SignIn"
cordova-plugin-inappbrowser 5.0.0 "InAppBrowser"
cordova-plugin-ionic-keyboard 2.2.0 "cordova-plugin-ionic-keyboard"
cordova-plugin-ionic-webview 5.0.0 "cordova-plugin-ionic-webview"
cordova-plugin-networkinterface 2.0.0 "NetworkInterface"
cordova-plugin-request-location-accuracy 2.3.0 "Request Location Accuracy"
cordova-plugin-sign-in-with-apple 0.1.2 "cordova-plugin-sign-in-with-apple"
cordova-plugin-splashscreen 6.0.2 "Splashscreen"
cordova-plugin-statusbar 3.0.0 "StatusBar"
cordova.plugins.diagnostic 7.1.1 "Diagnostic"
onesignal-cordova-plugin 3.3.0 "OneSignal Push Notifications"
phonegap-plugin-barcodescanner 8.1.1-dev "BarcodeScanner"

When I tried to run the app in the same device specification in emulator it is working fine.

Please let me know why this is not working with the google play console.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You tried to start a service while your app was (already/still?) in background. Newer Android versions restrict this.

See this: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/background#services

Unfortunately, you didn't mention the Android version where this exception occurs.