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
Related
If I have a suite of Android tablets, is it possible that I can have Chrome be the only app that is used on the tablet whilst also locking Chrome to access 1 URL?
We're building a web app for school kids and we want to lock down its use for everything else.
I understand there's a kiosk mode that will lock down to a single app, just can't see anything about disabling the ability to navigate to another website.
I guess you're better going with building an webview app.
That way, you can use android's native kiosk mode to lock the device into that app, that's actually just a webview to your web app.
Edit: Also, I found out something that could be interesting for your case: Android's Lock Task Mode
From documentation:
Android can run tasks in an immersive, kiosk-like fashion called lock task mode. You might use lock task mode if you’re developing a kiosk application or a launcher to present a collection of apps. When the system runs in lock task mode, device users typically can’t see notifications, access non-allowlisted apps, or return to the home screen (unless the home screen is allowlisted).
Adding another answer because I actually found what you're looking for.
You can setup an application to change the device's policies to lock-on on the Chrome app and then lock Chrome to a single website.
Here is the full reference of the answer you're looking for.
maybe someone know , samsung have a powerfull core with name KNOX SDK.We have application which based on this sdk. And we are looking a way to do same application without knox sdk. But we stuck with simple function like kiosk mode. This mode not working if device owner is not setted for application (for me it's hard to understand) All what i found - it's this way :
This way is correct if im testing application myself. But when time is come and we will need to install this application on our 100-200 devices , then this way looks bad . Every device to do factory reset, and adb commands etc.
So question :
I'm sure there are should be a way to do this offically. But i can't find any info about this. Maybe some one know how to do this ? Please help. I'm sure i'm missed something somewhere. :)
You can get information about the ways to provision device here. They include:
QR code
Managed Google Play Accounts
Google Account
NFC
I've wrote an article where I've described provisioning with QR-code here. We've selected this way for our Kiosk application as the most optimal one, because:
zero touch enrolment works only on a small subset of devices;
NFC provisioning requires another device with special app;
Google Account requires having and managing this account.
On the other hand QR-code works almost on all Android 7.0+ devices ("almost" because some vendors disable this in their custom ROMs) and is easy to setup for end user.
But when you need to install it on multiple devices (and it's some internal app, so you do it yourself, rather than end user) Google Account can be more appropriate.
In production, you'll want to provision your dedicated devices from the factory reset state (on the initial blue screen) using NFC, a QR code, or if supported, zero touch enrollment. NFC can be used from another Android device using an app such as the NFC provisioning app. A dedicated NFC card can also be programmed using an app such as NFC Tools. Google provides provisioning instruction on their TestDPC github repo. EMMs will also provide instructions for their DPC app. Using Android Management is usually a better alternative to TestDPC for production deployments under a 1000 devices. Additonal provisioning options and increased API usage limits are available if you're part of the EMM Community.
Since the process of applying for EMM integration takes an unjustifiably big amount of time and the whole process is described as "incredibly painful" by those lucky ones that went through it, I want to know whether is it absolutely needed to become an EMM in order to have a working Device Policy Controller app (DPC).
If you faced this problem, please share the experience.
I am developing for COSU devices and want to go into a kiosk mode. I am aware of existence of ways of how to do it, but they all implement a bunch of workarounds - this is not an option - I want a controllable, safe and robust way of doing this. I don't care about not having the ability for remote managing also.
You can use Google's new Android Management API to manage Android devices without building a DPC or registering as an EMM.
You just want to write an app that uses Device Policy Owner? That's fairly simple, assuming you own the devices. Just install your app, adb shell in, and run the dpm command to set your app as owner. If you're buying in bulk from a manufacturer you can get them to do it for you in the custom image you install (although you may need to explain what you want, it isn't a common usecase).
Of course everything has its limits. This will work, unless the user manages to do a factory reset. Which you can prevent via the UI, but can generally be reached from recovery modes or from unlocking the bootloader. So its safe from casual intrusion, but if someone really wants to get at your device and they have physical access and time, they can.
It is definitely possible to write your own DPC without registering with the EMM community.
The most convenient option for provisioning the devices is via NFC. for example using a second device, as it is quite simple to write a provisioning application.
See Implementing Kiosk Mode in Android (part 3 and 4)
for a good example.
I had a few problems with some Android 5 devices, but since 6.0 it works quite well.
I had implemented one launcher app for tab. This app is working good in normal mode but issue in safe mode. I am not able to set my app as launcher app in safe mode. Can anyone tell me how i can run my app as launcher app in safe mode.
Possible solutions is
Run my app as Launcher app.
Disable safe mode feature of android.
If device will go in safe mode, then ask password first to open this device.
If anyone knows better solution from above,please mention in comment. but i need this launcher app to be run in safe mode.
Thanks in advance.
Basically, you can't. The safe mode is designed to load built-in apps only
Only system apps run in safe mode. All the apps installed by the user doest not work..and there is a reason for that.
I think your ultimate goal is to create a kiosk mode. Where you want to restrict the user. You can two things:
If you are providing the mobile device you can use COSU from android 6.0 and above where there are APIs to disable safe mode. To access these apis your app needs to be the device owner.
You can access APIs to read UI contents of other apps and enforce clicks on them. To read other apps and enforce click you need to get special permission(Accessibility). Using this you can auto install apps, disable dialogs..
Is there any possibility to make unity3d application use new possibilities in Android 5.0 device owner app?
http://developer.android.com/about/versions/android-5.0.html#DeviceOwner
I'm trying to make app in unity3d that will work in "kiosk mode".
I know nothing about Unit3d but if it is a regular apk you probably can make use of DeviceOwner features. Though, enabling DeviceOwner is not a task for regular user on regular apps.
First, it requires the device to not have being provisioned - most common scenarios there is no account setup in the device. The process can be done either through a second device using NFC and a provisioning app or via adb shell dpm set-device-owner app.package/.DeviceAdminReceiver... not trivial, neither can be done by regular end users. May be what you want is just full screen mode? That can be done in the manifest... Kiosk mode will actually pin your app in the device.
If you are willing for setting up an actual kiosk to demo your app or something similar, it is indeed a good direction to go.