"This app is only available for your other devices"

[Rainytale]

I do conventions and occasionally I need to uninstall Square to make room for other apps, then reinstall it when I have a convention weekend. Tried installing it this weekend and it wouldn't show up on the Play Store - I only was able to find it from the Google Play link on the Download the App page of the website. But when I did, Play Store gave me the error message, "This app is only available for your other devices." The information icon next to it does not load any more information.

Why? What's going on? Google AI indicates that it may be because Square has stopped updating for my device. Is this true? Is it because I've downloaded it on other devices before? Could it be because I recently had to factory reset my device? Is there any way I can get it back on this device?

If I cannot get it back, it will essentially make this device worthless because I bought it with the primary purpose of being my Square register.

Android 8.1.0

Samsung Galaxy Tab A with S Pen (2016)

[TheRealChipA]

Hi there @Rainytale.. Currently, the Square POS app should install on any device with Android OS 7.0 or above.  So Google AI is hallucinating there, which is not a surprise at all. That being said, since you mentioned that you recently did a factory reset, are you sure that you have Android OS 8.1 installed?  Usually factory resets return the OS to whatever it was when you bought the device.

Also, a word of caution.  That device is now 10 years old.  Also, I would not be surprised if Square eventually has to quit supporting Android OS 8, soon, as it is also coming up on its 10-year anniversary.  Eventually Square adds features to its POS that require more modern OS versions and at that point, support for older ones stops, obviously.  I'd start thinking about finding a newer device that supports newer OS now and not waiting for that hammer to drop.

Best.

[TheRealChipA]

@Rainytale Clarification to my recent post.  Factory resets return the OS to whatever OS version was originally installed on it.  Since that Galaxy Tab is a 2016 model, and Android OS 8.1 is the absolute LAST version that it supports, it probably was not originally sold with that version.

[Rainytale]

So what does this mean for me then? Should square be available for my device or no?

[TheRealChipA]

It should be.  But, as I asked in my original reply, you mentioned that you recently did a factory reset.  Factory resets always reset the OS to whatever the original OS was that was installed on it.  It is highly unlikely that your device has 8.1 installed on it, and probably had a much older OS -- like 5.x or 6.1.  I'd check your device OS version again because your probably need to upgrade it to 8.1 after that factory reset.

Also, I'll reiterate that your device can't go beyond 8.1.  Android OS no longer supports it.

[TheRealChipA]

Most likely you aren't seeing Square POS in the app store because the factory reset reset your device to an unsupported OS (below 7.0)

[Rainytale]

Sorry, I misinterpreted what you said before, thinking that my Android version was a given. I found my Android version by navigating to the "Software Information" tab of my "Settings" app. That's where it says 8.1.0. Is this correct, or is there a more accurate why of finding my Android OS version? Thanks for your help.

[TheRealChipA]

@Rainytale I just looked at the Google Play store, and expanded on the description of the Square POS app.  At the bottom, you'll see two things:

1. Square updated the app on 8/28
2. This app NOW requires a minimum OS of Android 9.0

That is the problem.  Square must have recently added a feature that is only available in 9.0.  If you had not have deleted the app you could have kept the previous Square app version.  But it is not possible to go back to previous versions once they are deleted.  Your only option now is to get a device that will support Android 9.0, which your current device will not.

Sorry.