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IBM MaaS360 introduced a new flavor of the MaaS360 Kiosk Launcher application with v8.60

News


Abstract

For users that currently use the Kiosk mode with the Device Admin solution, upgrade to the MaaS360 Core App version 8.60 by 17 June 2024 to maintain the security and functionality of your devices.

Content

Until now, the MaaS360 Kiosk (Launcher) application has been installed and launched from MaaS360’s CDN servers. However, with the v8.60 release, the MaaS360 Kiosk (Launcher) app will also be available on the Google Play Store. This availability provides access to new solution sets available from Google and enhances the capabilities that are provided by Google for maintenance and upgrades.
Important: In the device admin mode, the MaaS360 Kiosk application used the Android OS component known as the Accessibility Service to block notifications and restrict app access. However, due to Google's strict conditions for apps on the Play Store that use the Accessibility Service, the MaaS360 Kiosk application is published without this specific component. Tthis upgrade might affect the app's functionalities on your devices.

The Accessibility Service is not used in the MaaS360 Kiosk application when the devices are enrolled under Android Enterprise, so these devices are not affected.
The following table explains the impacted and exempt devices.
Impacted devices Exempt devices
  • Devices using Kiosk mode under Standard Device Admin enrollment mode (non-Samsung, non-OEM)
  • Devices that have App Auto-updates turned on from Google Play Settings
  • Devices using Kiosk mode under Android Enterprise enrollment mode
  • Samsung devices using Kiosk mode under Device Admin enrollment mode
  • OEM (Zebra, Bluebird) using Kiosk mode under Device Admin enrollment mode
Upgrading the Kiosk app for Standard Device Administrator (non-Samsung, non-OEM) 
Prerequisites
  • Ensure that your devices use the Kiosk mode functionality under the Standard Device Admin enrollment mode are updated to the MaaS360 Core App v8.60 from the Google Play Store by 17 June 2024. 
  • Ensure that the Auto upgrade Kiosk policy is enabled (Security > Policies > <MDM Policy> > Advanced Settings > Kiosk Mode Restrictions) and successfully published, and applied on the device. 
Procedure:
  1. On the device, open the MaaS360 core app.
  2. Go to Settings > Kiosk Settings.
  3. Click Enable to enable Kiosk mode. A notification is displayed to start downloading the Kiosk app. Click Continue. 
  4. After the app is downloaded, click Continue. 
  5. In the Install unknown apps window, switch Allow from this source to On to install the Kiosk app, and then click Done to complete the installation.    MaaS360 Kiosk Launcher app install
  6. After installing, click Continue to launch the kiosk app.
  7. Switch Use MaaS360 Launcher to On for Accessibility Service and select Always to set the MaaS360 launcher as the default.      Enable Use MaaS360 Launcher for Accessibility Service      >       MaaS360 launcher as the default launcher  
The kiosk app is enabled successfully.

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Document Information

Modified date:
10 June 2024

UID

ibm17156747

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