Technical Guides By Product Mobile VMware Workspace ONE

[Feature Spotlight] Update Single App Mode Apps in iOS 11.2

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iOS-11After years of hoping and wishing, the ability to update locked enterprise apps is finally here! Yes, you read that correctly. iOS 11.2 devices can honor Single App Mode settings while the enterprise app updates.

Update Single App Mode Apps

Witness the app updates in all their glory by performing the following flow in a test organization group.

  1. On a supervised iOS 11.2+ device, deploy an older version of an enterprise app.
    For example, a non-store app. [box type=”info”] This feature does not apply to store apps, including apps from the Apple Volume Purchase Program. Sending the InstallApplication command to store apps locked in Single App Mode is an invalid request.[/box]
  2. Send the device a profile containing an app lock payload for the application’s identifier (for example, Single App Mode).
  3. Verify the device is locked into that application.
    For example, make sure you cannot exit the app, the buttons are locked, etc.
  4. Within the VMware Workspace ONE console, powered by VMware AirWatch, add another version of the deployed enterprise application with the same application identifier.
  5. Select the check box Retire Previous Versions to push the application update immediately.
  6. View the device’s behavior when it receives the command to perform the application update:Update Single App Mode Apps

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Important Reminder: Time Updates Carefully

Enterprise apps do not cache locally in Apple caching services. For apps providing digital signage or kiosk functionality, factor in the amount of time it takes to update the app. Consider business hours, connectivity speeds, app size, and if install commands might process in batches.

Additional Resources

The following links provide more detail on App Deployments: