Google Play Console - managed publishing for first app release

Question

According to the Control when app changes are published with managed publishing page in Play Console Help:

Managed publishing is only available for updates, not when publishing an app for the first time. If you want to use Managed publishing for your production launch, we strongly recommend publishing your app to a closed testing track first.

Keep in mind, internal test tracks are not covered by Managed publishing.

Assume I have published an app on a closed test track like alpha and this was successfully reviewed and published there. Does the above quote mean that I can promote the app to production and it is released immediately as soon as I publish it for the first time?

Pert

Do you have an update on it? – Fiske

Does anyone have any update on this?? – Neuromuscular

Answer 1

The answer is: no it is not immediately published and an app is also following the "managed publishing flow" again. So you can later decide when to publish the app to really be available.

Note: you can't do anything else there besides publishing, so you can't decide to cancel the publishing.

Pert

Answer 2

There seems to be a way to turn managed publishing on before the app first makes it into the store. Once you submit the app for review, the setting seems to become available and can be turned on, while the app is still in review.

Caveat:

I uploaded but not submitted/published the app in a closed testing channel first, so not sure if that triggered the above.

Distefano