Enhancing Android Enterprise OS Update Management
Hi, The way the Android API implements OS update management on Android Enterprise devices is not particularly useful for devices with user affinity. Are there any upcoming API changes for EMM solutions like Microsoft Intune? From my experience with the current API: AUTOMATIC – The OS update is installed as soon as it becomes available via OTA, which is not practical for real-time scenarios. WINDOWED – Similar to AUTOMATIC but with the limitation that OS updates can only be installed within a defined maintenance window. This means that if a user needs to update their device due to a software bug fixed in the latest OS version, they may not be able to do so immediately if the maintenance window is set outside working hours. Source: https://support.google.com/work/android/answer/13791272?hl=en#zippy=%2Cmanaging-system-updates-using-system-update-policies Suggested Improvements: Provide an option to control OS updates on BYOD (Work Profile only). I understand that when enrolling a device through Work Profile, only the work container can be managed via EMM. Google may need to reconsider this approach. It would be beneficial to have an approach similar to Apple’s, where EMM admins can manage OS updates (e.g., push specific updates, set deadlines, etc.) through DDM (Declarative Device Management - Source: https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/deployment/depc30268577/web ), even on BYOD devices (Device Enrollment) — without requiring supervision like DO (Device Owner mode). I’m aware that Samsung Knox E-FOTA exists, but it is limited to Samsung devices. Expanding this capability to all Android devices (like Google Pixel devices) would greatly improve update management in enterprise environments. BR, Marco
(COPE) Hide app in work profile
Hello, I have a small case I'd like to submit to the community for help please. A customer use Mobile Iron, and use Zero Touch to enroll our Android 14 products. In their DPC extras, they enabled the system apps and need to keep that way: "android.app.extra.PROVISIONING_LEAVE_ALL_SYSTEM_APPS_ENABLED":true, "android.app.extra.PROVISIONING_ADMIN_EXTRAS_BUNDLE":{ "workProfileEnabled": true, "quickStart":"true" } Now after the device is enrolled, the Work profile is filled with bunch of apps including unwanted ones like Netflix, Adobe, YT kids, ... From Mobile Iron, they want to hide/disable some apps, using "setApplicationHidden" but it doesn't work. At OEM side, we tested this API with the Test DPC and it works properly. My thinking was that as we are in COPE, and the apps that the customer wants to remove are from the Personal space, then this is not working as the MDM cannot interact with Personal space content. Does this make sense? Are there a way to hide the unwanted apps from the Work profile, despite having "leave all system apps" enabled from the ZT DPC extras? Anyone has any suggestions please? Thanks!