Create a public device group

You can't add BlackBerry Dynamics apps to device groups because entitlements can only be granted to users. Any BlackBerry Dynamics apps included in app groups that you add to device groups will not be assigned to users.

If your environment supports Android Enterprise, you can't add Android apps that have an optional disposition to device groups. Google Play for Work can assign apps only to Google User IDs, not to device IDs. If you add Android apps that have a required disposition to a device group, the apps will be installed, but the apps will not be listed in Google Play for Work.

  1. In the management console, on the menu bar, click Dedicated devices > Public device groups.
  2. Click Add icon..
  3. Type a name and a description for the public device group.
  4. Type the username for device activation.
  5. To assign an app or app group, in the Assigned apps section, click Add icon. and do the following:
    1. Search for and select the app that you want to assign to the group.
    2. Click Next.
    3. In the Disposition drop-down list, select one of the following:
      • Required: Install the app automatically on devices and prevent users from uninstalling the app.
      • Optional: Allow users to install and uninstall the app.
      • Denied (Android only): Prevent users from installing the app.
    4. If you are assigning a Google Play app to Android Enterprise and Android Management devices, and you set the Disposition to required or optional, in the Update Mode drop-down list, click the appropriate option:
      • Default: When a new version of the app is available in Google Play, the device is notified. Any restrictions or conditions from an assigned device SR requirements profile are applied to the app update.
      • High Priority: When a new version of the app is available in Google Play, the device is notified. Any restrictions or conditions from an assigned device SR requirements profile are ignored. In larger deployments this can take up to 24 hours.
      • Postpone: When a new version of the app is available in Google Play, the device is notified after 90 days, then the update is applied using the latest available version. Any restrictions or conditions from an assigned device SR requirements profile are applied. Note that users can manually update the app at any time.
    5. If you are assigning an Apple VPP app for iOS, and you set the Disposition to required or optional, in the Update Mode drop-down list, click the appropriate option:
      • Default: When a new version of the app is available, it will be pushed to devices automatically.
      • Postpone: When a new version of the app is available, it will not be pushed to devices automatically.
    6. For iOS devices, to assign per-app VPN settings to an app or an app group, in the Per app VPN drop-down list, select the settings to associate with the app or app group.
    7. If you assign an iOS app, choose the appropriate value in the Target drop-down list:
      • Work: The app is installed as a work app that you manage with UEM.
      • Personal:
        • If it is not a VPP app, the app is managed by UEM and a “personal” label is associated with the assigned app in the management console. The personal label does not impact how the app is managed on devices.
        • If it is an iOS VPP app with the Disposition set to Optional, the user will be redirected to the App Store to install the app as unmanaged. Unmanaged apps cannot be removed from devices by UEM and are not subject to UEM controls such as IT policy rules. When you set the app assignment as Optional and Personal, when you are prompted to assign the appropriate VPP license (step k below), you must set “Assign license to” to “User” to make it an unmanaged app.
    8. If available, for iOS and Android devices, in the App configuration drop-down list, click the app configuration that you want to assign to the app.
    9. If you use Android Enterprise and have created tracks for apps in the Google Play console, in the Track drop-down list, click the track to assign to the app.
    10. Click Assign or Next.
    11. If you are assigning a VPP app, click Yes to assign a user license or device license to the app. In the App license drop-down list, click the appropriate VPP account. In the Assign license to drop-down list, click User or Device. When you set the app assignment as Optional and Personal, you must assign a user license to make it an unmanaged app.
  6. Click Save.
  • Create an app lock mode profile and assign it to the public device group.
  • Create an activation profile and assign it to the public device group. The activation type for Android Enterprise must be Work space only (Android Enterprise fully managed device). The activation type for iOS must be a supervised iOS device with MDM controls.
  • Activate a public device.
  • To delete a public device group, select the check box next to the group that you want to delete and click Delete icon..