AirWatch will enable Android Enterprise as standard for Android Management after deprecation of Device Administrator from Google.
What is Device Administrator on Android?
It was the underlaying OS privilege that used to ask on the Android OS. Usually you know it from the prompt if an App ask for privileges if you install it? For example if you download the AirWatch Agent to enrol the Device you get an prompt where the Agent ask for Device Administrator. If got that privileges the EMM Administrator can do certain API calls on the Device and this helps to do Policies.
What Google do is going away from this kind of management over to a modern way of Device Management. Device Administrator will not be deprecated at a whole, Apps can still become Device Administrator. What going away is the ability which Device Administrators can use.
As an Example, of deprecated API is the ability to force Password quality on a Device. Starting with the 2019 Release Android Q.
Ok what is then integrated in AirWatch if that will come true?
In AirWatch will be then 2 different Ways for example to handle Devices or better to say the Profiles on it.
Work Profile
This will be used in an BYOD scenario and make sure a separation of work and personal stuff on a Device. No one interrupt each other, the both areas are totally separated. This will be the best User experience in such kind of scenario.
Corporate own
This is called work manage enrolment. In such an enrolment style the Google Play Store for example only show Apps which are whitelisted by the IT. What that means is that the Device is fully managed by the Corporate IT.
What the Changes from Device Administrator to Android Enterprise in AirWatch means for Customers and Customers which have configured and managed Devices in the current Environment?
Device Administrator as well as Android Enterprise will be supported but Android Enterprise will be the standard. Currently enrolled Device flow will not break. If you will enrol new Devices the new capabilities of Android Enterprise will shown.
