BevQ app hits Play Store: Tipplers flay delay in OTP

Thiruvananthapuram: The BevQ application, anxiously awaited by tipplers in the state finally hit the Google Play Store at around 11PM on Wednesday night and had over one lakh installs within hours. But the delay in obtaining OTP angered many who vented their feelings on social media and app store roasting developers. BevQ is a virtual queue application and token generator service provided by Kerala State Beverages Corporation Ltd to maintain social distancing norms at their stores.
Most of them who searched Google Play Store for the BevQ app by Kerala State Beverages Corporation were disappointed but were consoled for a short while after receiving a leaked apk file circulated via WhatsApp.
Apk or Android Package is the package file format used by devices working on Android operating system for distribution and installation of mobile apps.
"We wish to state that no one at Faircode has a role to play in the leakage of apk file," said Naveen George, Chief Financial Officer, Faircode Technologies Pvt Ltd, which developed the application. Naveen said they have pushed the app to Playstore on Wednesday evening but they did not know why it was taking longer than required. "It could be because we unpublished the beta version," he said.
According to him the leaked apk file is that of the beta version. "It would be unsafe to download it and it is of no use as it is a beta version," said Naveen.
According to experts the file may have got leaked by someone who may have access to the application for the purposes of testing and review.
A version of the application which can be used to generate virtual tokens for buying liquor for beverage shops and bar counters was up on Play Store for a while in the morning and saw .
"The BevQ app developed by Faircode Technologies for the beverages corporation has successfully sustained the beta release on Google's playstore. A whopping 20k users downloaded the trial version of the app in just two minutes," said a statement from Faircode. The company had stated that they would upload the application in the evening after
The developers had even deployed a special website www.bevcoapp.in with a countdown timer which showed 5pm in the evening. But as the app failed to appear in the Play Store people began posting messages making fun of the developers.
Those who accessed the apk file were disappointed were shown a message showing that the registration limit for the day was over.