Skip to main content
W
w4lter
Level 2.0: Eclair
February 25, 2025
Question

Managed Google Play private app not available on Corporate-owned devices with work profile

  • February 25, 2025
  • 9 replies
  • 2 views

Hi community,

 

I'm encountering a strange issue and could use some guidance.

A Google developer account released an app to Managed Google Play (so it's automatically private and not available on the public store) and entered our organization ID in the appropriate field.

 

We can find the app on the iframe in our MDM (Microsoft Intune in this case), select it, and assign it to groups.

Everything looks good: BYOD deployments (Personally-owned devices with work profiles) can install the app from the Managed Google Play store. However, COPE devices (Corporate-owned devices with work profiles) cannot search for it, and it's also not visible in the app collections we've created.

 

Could there be a setting in the Google developer account's store listing that prevents availability for COPE devices? 

I've exhausted all options in Intune, including multiple store syncs, with no success.

Intune is telling me, that the App is available to install on the specific COPE devices, but it does simply no appear.

The only thing left to check is the Google developer account that released the app for us.

Has anyone else experienced this issue?

 

Any hints or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

Walter

    9 replies

    J
    jasonbayton
    Level: 4.1: Jelly bean
    February 25, 2025

    Could you double check how group assignments are set? Intune is a pain for hiding assigned apps from the store

      W
      w4lterAuthor
      Level 2.0: Eclair
      February 25, 2025

      hi jason,

       

      group assignments are set to "Available for enrolled devices" without any filters. pretty straight forward.

       

      i have on my table 2 devices enrolled with my user (im allowed to the app, because im member of one assigned group)

      BYOD -> App is visible

      COPE -> App is not visible and not searchable

      Alex_Muc
      Alex_Muc
      Level 3.0: Honeycomb
      February 25, 2025

      Are the two devices the same device type / device model?

      I've seen this kind of behavior in the past when an app is restricted to certain display sizes via manifest.xml. (I am thinking of this) Such apps could be installed manually as apk, but Google Play refused to install them.

       

      I am not aware that an app can be restricted to certain Android management modes via manifest.xml / Managed Play.

      A privateApp available for an OrganizationID is generally available to the UEM. The UEM then releases the app for certain GoogleUserIDs/GoogleDeviceIDs in the background, making the apps available on the devices in Managed Play. (at least with the EMM API)

      Either the app assignment is not quite right, or the app is not compatible with certain devices.

        W
        w4lterAuthor
        Level 2.0: Eclair
        March 13, 2025

        hi,

        i want to make an update of my initial post, because there are new findings.

         

        a bit late, but we found out that the app developer used the "same" App Identifier, but case-sensitive, so for example:

         

        App 1: com.android.myapp

        App 2: com.Android.MyApp

         

        in my point of view, i was thinking google does not allow this, but also on android itself it's possible to install apps side-by-side with that App Identifier like in my example.

         

        It seems, that "Intune App" which is the controller on COPE Devices is not able to handle case-sensitive App Identifier, while "Company Portal App" on BYOD Devices is able to handle this.

         

        On COPE Devices, App 2 is not visible because (i guess) Intune App is thinking that App exists already. Also interesting finding -> if i set in Intune App 2 as "Uninstall" then App 1 will be uninstalled. If i set in Intune App 2 as "Required" then also App 1 will be installed.

         

        I'm quite sure this is a 100% Microsoft (Intune App) issue, but Microsoft Support is telling me, i need to Contact Google Support, because the App is not visible in "Managed Google Play Store".

         

        My Question now is:

        Where and how can i contact Google Support regarding Managed Google Play Store?

         

        Thanks.

        T
        Timmy
        Level 2.0: Eclair
        March 13, 2025

        @Lizzie  - Do you have any pointers here on how to get in contact with someone at Google support in cases like this where its related to Managed Google Play and private apps ? 

        Me and @w4lter have had a discussion around this issue over at the Intune subreddit. Im reaching out to some of my Microsoft contacts as well and I will be looking in to reproducing this issue as well. 

        Lizzie
        Lizzie
        Community Manager
        March 13, 2025

        Hey @Timmy and @w4lter,

         

        Thanks for sharing this information - good to know. It's certainly an interesting one! I wonder would you be willing to share the app bundle(s) with me via direct message perhaps? Then I can see if I can raise this internally? 

         

        Thanks,

        Lizzie

         

         

        Welcome to the Community everyone!Have a question or want to start a conversation, click here.
          M
          Moombas
          Level 4.4: KitKat
          March 14, 2025

          In general i would rather recommend to really use unique bundleIDs also to be sure not creating any kind of conflicts in the background.

            Alex_Muc
            Alex_Muc
            Level 3.0: Honeycomb
            March 14, 2025

            I wasn't even aware that the Android package names are case sensitive. I haven't found much documentation on the Internet, e.g. information on the manifest.xml: https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/manifest/manifest-element

             

            In the past, we had apps from external devs that also used capital letters, but different versions were clearly named. (e.g. with numbers at the end) This is definitely an interesting test case. I won't be able to test it in the next two weeks, but I would like to try it out with our UEM.

            In any case, I find it strange that the app works with BYOD but not with COPE.

              W
              w4lterAuthor
              Level 2.0: Eclair
              March 17, 2025

              thanks!

               

              so, in my opinion, it should be not a problem to release for example Candy Crush with a new app identifier, for example:

               

              official:

              com.king.candycrushsaga

               

              new one:

              com.King.CandyCrushSaga

               

              I'm quite sure, that Intune App (COPE/fully managed Devices) are not able to handle those 2 app identifiers afterwards, while Company Portal App (BYOD Devices) is able to handle this.

              PS: Intune Admin Portal will find both Apps in Google iFrame. Also releasing both apps to devices will be fine. Just COPE devices will not receive the second app.

               

              Super weird case...

              T
              Timdavid
              New Member
              March 18, 2025

              Check the Google Developer Console settings to ensure COPE device support isn’t restricted. Verify the app's visibility settings for corporate-owned devices. Since Intune shows it as available, try re-syncing Managed Play settings

              W
              w4lterAuthor
              Level 2.0: Eclair
              March 18, 2025

              hi, sorry - i have no idea how i could prevent installs on COPE devices. just know how to release an app to a managed google play store.

              do you have any screenshot or google guide? thanks.

              Alex_Muc
              Alex_Muc
              Level 3.0: Honeycomb
              April 4, 2025

              @w4lterI finally had time to test the issue today.
              Unfortunately, I didn't get far enough to test the app install on different enrollment modes.

               

              Omnissa does not handle the BundleIDs case sensitive. Therefore, I cannot get the second app, which is only different in upper/lower cases, from the iFrame into the UEM for distribution.

               

              App no. 1 has been importedApp no. 2 can not be imported anymore. "This application has already been added to the console."

               

              I hope that the developer can provide you with a new app with a new BundleID that differs from other apps not only in terms of capitalization.

               

              Terms & ConditionsCookie settingsAccessibility statement