App updation- Google Play Store wants to update an older version of app when latest version is already installed?

I manually update apps and on selective basis. Recently, I noticed that apps that have been manually updated continue to be shown in awaiting updates list, despite manually updating them

• Example of Macrodroid. On the left is the Play Store showing an earlier version and on the right is app version , which is much later

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  Few other apps show the same version - on the device and awaiting updating on play store.

  
  



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  Some apps get removed from Play Store once updated.

  
  

This inconsistent behaviour foxes me

Why does this happen and how to fix it?

Details: Android 6.0.1 on Moto X Play- Play Store 6.8.24. F- all 3085398

Answer

Isn't v3.14 newer than v3.13? It's quite common to have a {x}.{y}.{z} versioning system where a bug fix increments {z} and a new feature increments {y} or maybe {x}.

Also, the developer doesn't actually have to change the 'Version' number that shows in the Play Store, they only need to increment a build version (which is not visible anywhere in the Play Store) so the version that is shown may not change. This allows for quick fixes to be pushed out without incrementing the actual version number.

Although the information isn't visible in the Play Store it can be seen in the AndroidManifest.xml within the apk. I use Solid Explorer which can display this information without needing to extract the apk manually. In the screenshot below you can see the 'Version code' which is the build version that must be increased when uploading a new version of an apk to the Play Store.