Issue with installing Google Chrome via Play for Work Apps
Play for Work Apps
Scalefusion's integration with Play for Work apps, lets IT Admins deploy free applications available in GooglePlay Store to the managed devices without user intervention. IT Admins use this to approve and then remotely install the applications required in their enterprise.
Issue: Remote Installation of Google Chrome Not Working
Google Chrome is a browser from Google and is deployed widely to managed devices. However a recent update seems to have broken the remote installation of Google Chrome. What this means is that on certain devices even though they are EMM managed, the Google Chrome application does not get installed. Even when the user's try to install Google Chrome from the managed Google Play Store the application does not get installed.
Impacted Functionality
Most devices come pre-loaded with Google Chrome, however for the pre-installed Google Chrome to be configured via app configurations the first step is to push the update via Play for Work apps and for the app to become managed post it's installation. Since the first time installation itself does not succeed, all subsequent actions do not fail.
IT Admins deploy Google Chrome and pair the installation with a App Configuration to generally achieve the following functionality,
- Provide a Controlled browsing experience by allowing and blocking the websites.
- Configure Home screen settings & bookmarks.
- Configure Network settings for Google Chrome
All of the above mentioned areas are impacted and WILL NOT work if the initial installation fails.
Impacted Devices
There is no pattern or consistent behavior across devices to identify the impacted devices definitely. However we have observed that this issue happens mainly on devices running on Android 10. Please note that this can happen on any make/model and Android OS.
How to Identify a Impacted Device?
If you have published Google Chrome to your devices then the App Installation report will give you an idea of the devices where Google Chrome has not been installed.
Tentative Timeline for Fix
Android Enterprise team has been appraised about the issue and they are actively working to resolve this issue. The current timeline for the fix has been set to Feb-March'2021.
What are the options of IT Admins?
We understand that providing a safe & controlled browsing experience for your employees and on the managed devices is one of the prime requirements. Here are some alternative options that we list out that can help you achieve the desired functionality.
- Scalefusion Browser: For simple use-cases of configuring allow/block list of websites, with customised settings like hiding the address bar, auto-clearing the cache and a wide range of other customisations, you can use Scalefusion Browser.
- Using alternate Browsers as Stop gap: You can also try an alternate browser that is acceptable as per your IT Policy. Microsoft Edge which is based on Chromium engine can be an alternative as it offers similar app configurations to provide a safe and controlled browsing experience.
In case you have any queries or need more information, please contact our support team.
