Updating Managed Google Play apps

Information about controlling app updates for Managed Google Play apps. You can review available updates, manage rollout settings, and control how updates are deployed to Android devices. MaaS360 applies the updates based on your configured policies and distribution preferences.

About this task

Default app update behavior

By default, apps are automatically updated if the following conditions are met:
  • The device is connected to a wifi network.
  • The device is charging.
  • The device is idle.
  • The app that is updated is not running in the foreground.
Google Play checks for pending app updates once every 24 hours and then adds the available app updates to the update queue. After adding the app to the queue, the app is automatically updated the next time the default conditions are met.

Advanced app update settings

You can set an auto-update mode when adding Managed Google Play apps to the App Catalog. These settings override the app update settings configured by users on managed devices.

Note:
  • These settings apply to Google Play apps and Private Apps for Android Enterprise only.
  • These settings are supported on Android Enterprise devices only: Device Owner (DO), Work Profile (PO), Work Profile on Corporate Owned (WPCO) devices.
  • The app update settings are configured at the individual app level.

Follow these steps to configure app update settings for individual apps on managed devices:

Procedure

  1. From the IBM® MaaS360® Portal home page, select Apps > Catalog.
  2. On the App Catalog, click Add and then select either Google Play App or Private App for Android Enterprise.
  3. Select the app that you want to add and then click the Policies and Distribution tab.
  4. Select Update Settings > Control app updates.
    Auto app update settings
  5. The following auto-update options are displayed:
    Default
    Updates the app over a wifi network when the device is charging or idle.
    Postpone
    Pauses automatic app updates for 90 days. The app is not automatically updated during these 90 days, starting from the day the developer publishes the new update. After the 90-day period is over, the latest version of the app is automatically installed on the device according to the default app update behavior.
    Note: The postponed mode does not prevent users from manually updating apps. Users can manually update apps from the Google Play store during the postponement period.
    High-priority
    Installs the app immediately when the developer releases a new version, regardless of the default update conditions. If the device is offline, the update is applied when the device reconnects to the internet. Updates might occur during business hours and cause work disruptions.
    Note: After adding the app to the App Catalog, you can always modify the update settings from the App Summary page. If you modify the auto-update mode, changes are applied to devices without redistributing the app.
    Auto app update install settings