Is there an alternative way to perform the same function as UpdateApplication on Android 15?

Question

Hi everyone,

We are currently managing Samsung enterprise devices via Knox Manage under Android Enterprise DA mode (Device Admin) . Our in-house application previously used the UpdateApplication API to update itself silently without user interaction. This worked well under Android 14.

However, after updating to Android 15, this API no longer functions. Based on the Samsung Knox SDK documentation, it appears that UpdateApplication is now restricted to Device Owner (DO) and Profile Owner (PO) apps.

We have tried to assign all delegated scopes to our app via Knox Manage policy settings (Android Enterprise → App Restrictions → Delegated Scopes for Apps). Unfortunately, the API call still fails.

✅ What we’re looking for:

- Is there any alternative methods that allows silent or managed updates of enterprise apps on Android 15, without being a DO/PO app?

- Or is DO/PO elevation now the only viable path?

- If so, is there an official onboarding flow or protocol to request DO/PO designation for an app via Knox Manage?

Any guidance, references, or examples would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!

—
Environment:

- Android 15
- Knox Manage (latest)
- Samsung A9+ tablets
- Device Admin mode

mattdermody · Answer

I don't think you realistically are going to be able to continue to offer silently self-updating mobile applications in the future. These updates are expected to be performed by an EMM tool and/or Managed Play moving forward. I do not think declaring your own (non EMM agent) application as DO or PO is an appropriate resolution to this problem.

DO under AE operates very differently from DA with one of the core differentiators being their can be only one Device Owner on a device. You would not be able to rely on declaring such a permission given that many of your end clients devices will likely already be managed by a true EMM DPC with declared DO privilege. In addition, DO is something that has to be declared while a device is in a factory default state. You cannot install your app later and then declare DO permission as it would otherwise already be too late.

Inflating your own Work Profile just for your own app and then declaring that app the PO of that Profile also doesn't seem to be a valid solution in my mind. I could be mistaken about that approach however since I'm less familiar with PO deployments.

Sign up

Login with SSO

Login to the community

Login with SSO

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded