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Alex_Muc
Alex_Muc
Level 3.0: Honeycomb
August 9, 2024
Question

Unapprove apps that are no longer available in Google Play

  • August 9, 2024
  • 2 replies
  • 4 views

Hey!

 

We have a rather unimportant problem with Managed Google Play regarding apps that are no longer publicly available.

 

We currently approve apps via iFrame and can then release them via MDM. With WorkspaceONE, we can theoretically also approve apps via https://play.google.com/work and then import them from Google Play all together.

 

If a developer retires an app for (Managed) Google Play, the approval of the app can no longer be revoked. The app will then no longer be listed in Managed Google Play. ( https://play.google.com/work/licenses/apps )
The app is then no longer displayed at all, even if it is actually included in the configuration of a collection. Ironically, in the current case, some GoogleServiceAccounts of devices are authorized to install a withdrawn app and can see it, but our Google account in MDM no longer has authorization.

Although the Google Account in MDM cannot find the withdrawn app, you can use the import function for approved apps to import these apps back into MDM.

 

Basically, the matter is resolved if we remove the app assignment in MDM. However, we would like to reset everything related to the withdrawn apps to their original state. This also includes revoking the approval in Managed Google Play.

 

 

We noticed the problem a long time ago and have two apps where this has happened again. It would be great if you could remove the approval for such apps, even if the store page is no longer accessible. 😃

 

 

2 replies

jeremy
jeremy
Level 1.6: Donut
August 9, 2024

Hey Alex,

 

Actually approving/desaproving apps is a deprecated feature and it not useful anymore.

If you want to remove an app from your users, just do it through your policy,

 

Best,

Alex_Muc
Alex_MucAuthor
Level 3.0: Honeycomb
August 9, 2024

Approve and unapprove apps may be deprecated, but they are currently still a requirement for WS1.
It is simply not possible to select unapproved apps in the iFrame and bring them into MDM as a public app. The workflow still requires apps to be approved and then selected or approved apps to be imported.

 

It's not "not useful", it's actually the fundamental requirement for us. It may be different with other MDM providers.

 

 

 

jeremy
jeremy
Level 1.6: Donut
August 9, 2024

Yes sorry I did not know about this specific WS1 requirements, but I don't think you'll see any improvements on this side...

sorry about that

Lizzie
Lizzie
Community Manager
August 9, 2024

Thanks for starting this discussion @Alex_Muc. Not a lot to add here, but I would imagine as approved/unapproved apps is now depreciated that EMMs will gradually be working to migrate away from it.

 

Would this help?  

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