Android 14, released in October, adds a host of enhancements to Android Enterprise. The OS release introduces new controls to better secure devices in the enterprise and delivers delightful enhancements to the work profile user experience (UX). Support for management of financed devices was also introduced in Android 14. Join us in taking a deeper look at how Android continues to elevate enterprise device management.
Security controls
Android 14 introduces several new controls that organizations can use to better secure their devices and ensure compliance with their organizational policies. The first of these is the ability to block devices from using 2G cellular networks. 2G networks have several known vulnerabilities and use weak encryption, by modern standards. Android 14 also allows organizations to disable ultra-wideband (UWB), which is seeing growth in adoption with locating remote devices and to unlock smart cars and homes.
On the application side, Android 14 enables administrators to set an allowlist of applications in the personal profile that can access work contacts. Administrators can also prevent the unsecured use of corporate credentials by specifying which trusted credential manager applications are authorized to use the Android Credential Manager API.
Work profile UX improvements
Android 14 introduces several user experience improvements to the work profile itself. By popular demand, screenshots taken of work applications will no longer be automatically stored in the personal profile — they will instead be kept in the work profile. The discoverability of work applications is also improved. Android 14 also enhances the screen-sharing experience by allowing end users to share specific apps inside of the work profile.
Android 14 is also better at determining which application should open a link. In prior Android versions, if an end user opened a link for a native application, such as Google Maps, and the native application was only installed in the personal profile, the link would instead be automatically opened in a browser in the work profile. Now with Android 14, users will first be asked if they wish to open the link in the native application in the personal profile rather than automatically providing an inferior experience by opening in a browser. Please note, though, that users will still be given the option of opening the link in the work browser.
Support for financed devices
Historically, some financed Android devices have not supported device management solutions like Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management (UEM). This is the case when the device financier installs an application like Google’s Device Lock Controller on the device. These applications, also called financing kiosk agents, use the same device management API as solutions like Workspace ONE UEM. This allows device financiers to lock down devices and more easily reclaim them. It was because these financing kiosk agents were already using device management APIs that solutions like Workspace ONE UEM could not take over the management of the device.
Android 14 changes this by allowing multiple applications to act as device management agents on a device. When a UEM solution and another application apply conflicting policies, Android 14 applies the most restrictive option. This way, a financing kiosk agent would not be able to remove restrictions applied by Workspace ONE UEM.
For better visibility into policies applied by creditors, Android 14 will allow UEM solutions to:
- Detect if a device is financed,
- See what policies other device management agents have applied, and
- Be notified when those policies change.
And more!
Here are a few more features and behavior changes introduced with Android 14:
- During provisioning of a company-owned device, the device screen will now stay on. This was an optional configuration introduced in Android 13 and is now default behavior.
- Several accessibility improvements, including improved magnification, non-linear font size scaling, flash notifications, and hearing aid improvements.
- Work application settings are discoverable when searching for them within settings.
Workspace ONE UEM has continued its Day 0 support promise by introducing support for management of Android 14 devices in Intelligent Hub 23.07. We are excited to continue building support for new features and to see what other new developments Android 14 brings to the enterprise in coming months. For more information on enterprise-specific changes with Android 14, please see this guide, “Getting Ready for Android 14.”
Additional resources
eBook: Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management + Security
eBook: Empower Frontline Workers with Workspace ONE Unified Endpoint Management
