Working with Android Management API that has a custom launcher app set to Kiosk mode. In this way it overrides the old launcher.
However, it does not receive notifications from for example whatsapp and Gmail because of the Kiosk mode in Android Management API.
Is there a way to bypass this?
This is a known issue on android 8.1 and below with no fix available on those versions. This should not be an issue on later versions.. To enable notifications you should add "statusBar": "NOTIFICATIONS_AND_SYSTEM_INFO_ENABLED" in your (KioskCustomization)[https://developers.google.com/android/management/reference/rest/v1/enterprises.policies#kioskcustomization] policy.
Related
In desktop version of Chrome, there is a kiosk mode that allow background printing without the popup. How to do this in Android?
There are services and applications that allow you to set your android device to kiosk mode. Such as by using scalefusion or by using ManageEngine, as well as GoKiosk and Sure Lock:
https://www.bosstab.com/resources/android-tablet-kiosk-mode/ explains how.
I have seen this in action in places like hostels/hotels:
How can you lock/restrict/configure an android device to only use an application, while having the following or most of them?
After every boot open and lock to a specific application.
Restrict specific hardware buttons, if any. (power button or all)
Lock device to use specific applications.
Is there anything "out of the box" provided by the SDK when building your applications? And if there is something like that what is the API support for that and how low does it get, API level wise?
Do you configure your device in a specific way? Is ther a documented pipeline for that?
I would prefer something official from google rather than 3rd party applications that do that.
firet it will suport in or after android 5.0
second lock app on your device for that creaate activity for luncer startLockTask(){}
First of all Single Purpose application is supported after Android 5.0.
To lock the app on your device call a method startLockTask() in your onCreate of launcher activity.
For detailed decription see this doc.
I am learning about Kiosk devices. I am going through the docs but stumbled across this thing.
As per docs-
Kiosk Apps are Chrome Apps that are designed to always run fullscreen using Single App Kiosk Mode on Chrome OS and do not allow the user to exit the app. They're great for a purpose-built Chrome device, such as a guest registration desk, a library catalog station, or a point-of-sale system in a store.
There is also a mention of Kiosk Mode
It is an Android kiosk app that replaces the default Home Screen or Launcher and restricts user to accessonly one application or a few allowed applications. ... It has become common to use off-the-shelf mobile devices to run business applications or self-service kiosks.
Though I am unable to understand as to how to develop a Kiosk app for Android.
Yes, you can build kiosk apps in android.
In addition to Morrison Chang's link in their comment I suggest you to read this article for more practical approach.
Note: This article has a point on making layer that catches user drag events and such. On newer Android versions(8.0) this no longer works.
You can create Kiosk application. From Lolipop 5.0 google is providing api for that.
https://developer.android.com/work/cosu
You can use Pinning or LockTask to achieve the Kiosk application feature.
Some like of sample git application
Git Link
Git Link2
You can make kiosk device by making your application owner of the device and then pinning the app on the device.
Please follow the below link it gives the detailed concept of making an application an owner device and then you can pin it using the code for pinning
https://medium.com/#ashubansal.ashishbansal/make-your-android-device-a-kiosk-device-so-that-no-one-can-open-anything-in-your-device-except-the-3bb42a0db8ea
If you are using a dedicated device for your kiosk app you can use the Android For Work APIs to have a single application or multi application kiosk.
Lock task mode API from the android allows you to lock the specific app to run on the device and always on the foreground. This will disable the Home button and Overview button as well making a true kiosk mode experience.
In order to use the API, you need to use the DevicePolicyManager and run your application as Device owner.
You can also refer here for details on how to create a Kiosk app
https://blog.esper.io/best-way-to-build-android-apps-in-kiosk-mode
As Android Device Administration is going to be deprecated. It will be replaced with Android Enterprise Mobility Manager(EMM), and as shown in the feature list disabling of camera is not supported in work profile. Work managed device would require a factory reset in order to setup.
So will we no longer be able to disable cameras for BYOD? Or are there other methods to disable camera for all profiles/entire device like Samsung KNOX does?
yes the API will be deprecated but your app will not break if you are targeting older version of Android e.g.
targetSdkVersion 25
Work profile is not a solution as it will disable camera only for apps under this profile and not for personal apps.
You should use the legacy mode with old sdk and Google may prevent you to publish updates at Play store.
I think that BYOD will be a real issue at Android 10.
I like to have single android app in our managed devices, we want only that app to be used on the device with necessary restriction, such that,
Single use - Device will have only one app, user can't use other apps, like browsing, youtube or anything,
the initial setting like notification sound, GPS always on, notification and ring sound maximum level can't be modified.
user can not power off the device.
this setting can only be changed by our servers.
i think i have 2 option,
1) Using samsung knox sdk on samsung devices,
Here's MDM proving feature of Samsung Knox Standard!
2) General Android way, Set up Single-Purpose Devices, COSU solution
Android Developer's site.
Wanted to know your's view on this, may be if you guys have done any of the two or any other ways, i could use some of the guidelines or a path.
Thanks for reading, and please comment if i was unable to articulate the subject or it needs editing.
You can use Google's new Android Management API, it seems to suit your needs.
It is a new cloud API that allows to manage Android devices from a server, without having to build an on-device agent (a device policy controller).
I have broad experience of using Samsung Kiosk Mode from Knox Standard SDK which is free and Pro-Kiosk mode from Knox Customization SDK (which has more functions but is not free).
So I can tell you for sure that all 4 points that you have mentioned can be achieved by using Knox Standard SDK.
Singe Purpose: https://seap.samsung.com/api-references/android-standard/reference/android/app/enterprise/kioskmode/KioskMode.html
LocationPolicy (you can turn on GPS and restrict changing): https://seap.samsung.com/api-references/android-standard/reference/android/app/enterprise/LocationPolicy.html
Yes. It is possible but I forgot the exact implementation.
Yes, as well.
Only downside of using this SDK is:
You are tied to Samsung (which I personally okay with, since Samsung has such market penetration and you could get service almost anywhere in the world and in enterprise world it is critical)
About Android native functionality: never tried it
Update March 7, 2019: Now I am playing around Device Owner, we use it for Kiosk mode, works well and works on android Device with Nougat and earlier.