Android Mobile Publishing: Handling Package Name Conflicts in Google Play Console

[sarah_bioni]

While working on a public Android app deployment via ServiceNow Mobile Publishing, I encountered a common but frustrating issue when uploading the generated Android App Bundle (.aab) to the Google Play Console.

❌ The Error

"Your APK or Android App Bundle needs to have the package name ******"

This error occurs when the package name of the uploaded .aab file does not match the package name of the app already published on the Google Play Store.

🧩 The Scenario

The client already had an app published in the Google Play Store under a specific package name (e.g., com.client.app). This app was not built using ServiceNow architecture. The goal was to replace the existing app with a new one generated via ServiceNow Mobile Publishing.

However, when requesting a new app through Mobile Publishing, the Bundle ID / Package Name field is automatically populated and read-only. This means you cannot reuse the existing package name required to update the current app.

⚠️ Why This Is a Problem

Google Play treats the package name as a unique identifier. If the new app’s package name doesn’t match the existing one, it will be treated as a completely different app, and you won’t be able to update or replace the original.

✅ Workaround Suggestions

While ServiceNow currently doesn’t allow editing the package name during Mobile Publishing, here are a few options to consider:

1. Use a New Package Name
   If replacing the app is not mandatory, publish the new app under a different package name and guide users to migrate.

2. Retire the Old App
   Publish the new app separately and deprecate the old one with a notice in its description pointing users to the new version.