If you've ever written an iOS or Android app, or if you've been part of a beta testing group, there's a chance that you've run into TestFlight. The service provides software to help with deploying beta apps to users and collect usage statistics and bug reports for developers. One year ago today, the company announced its plans to expand beyond the iOS world and begin serving Android developers, as well. What followed was a short private beta that ended in May. Despite an apparently successful launch, Testflight is officially dropping support for Android on March 21, 2014.
No details have been given regarding reasons or how many developers will be affected by the shutdown. This is probably a consequence of Google launching its own support for beta distribution last summer. TestFlight customers have probably been emailed about the impending shutdown with further information and directions, but the public notice was kept extremely brief:
On 2/19/2014 we announced that TestFlight will terminate Android support on 3/21/2014.
What does this mean?
- After 3/21/2014 no user will be able to upload any Android builds to TestFlight.
TestFlight will continue to offer its services to iOS developers. You know, in case anybody was worried.
Update 1: TechCrunch is reporting that Burstly, the parent company of TestFlight has been acquired, and the likely new owner is Apple. If accurate, this is surely a move to integrate TestFlight's SDK and feature set directly into the App Store's submission process, possibly in response to Google's own beta testing features. This would also explain the brevity of TestFlight's exit.
Update 2: Apple has confirmed the purchase of Burstly. - Source: Re/Code
Source: TestFlight