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  4. Managing Android devices
  5. Supporting Android Enterprise activations
  6. Support Android Enterprise devices without access to Google Play

Support
Android Enterprise
 devices without access to
Google Play

To activate devices that don’t have access to
Google Play
, users must download the latest
BlackBerry UEM Client
 from a different source. The available methods to download the
UEM Client
 depend on the OS version and activation type:
  • For devices that will be activated with the
    Work space only
     or
    Work and personal - full control
     activation types, the device must be set to factory default settings before installing the
    UEM Client
    . To provide the download location to the device, you can include the location in a
    QR Code
     that the user scans to start activation, or allow the device to get download information using NFC (for example, by tapping an NFC sticker or another device).
  • Devices that will be activated with the
    Work and personal - user privacy
     activation type, don't need to be reset to factory default settings first. For these devices, users can download the
    BlackBerry UEM Client
     from the
    BlackBerry
     download site or another available location after the out-of-box device setup is complete.
To download the .apk file of the latest
UEM Client
 or
UEM Enroll
 app, visit support.blackberry.com/community to read article 42607.
For instructions to activate
Android Enterprise
 devices, see Activating Android devices

Requirements

If you want to activate devices that don’t have access to
Google Play
, verify the following:
Requirement
Description
BlackBerry UEM
 environment
  • Integration with
    Android Enterprise
    : You are not required to integrate
    UEM
     with
    Android Enterprise
     if you want to support only devices that don’t have access to
    Google Play
    . If you want to support a mix of devices that do and don’t have access to
    Google Play
    , you must integrate the
    UEM
     environment with
    Android Enterprise
    .
Device activation default settings
If you want to include the
UEM Client
 location in a QR code, verify the following device activation default settings:
  • Select the
    Allow QR code to contain location of UEM Client app source file
     and
    Use default location
     options. These options allow users to scan the QR code in the activation email to download the
    UEM Client
     from the
    BlackBerry
     download site. These options are available only if your
    UEM
     environment is integrated with
    Android Enterprise
    .
Activation profile settings
Verify the following settings in the activation profile:
  • Deselect the
    Add Google Play account to workspace
     option. This option is available only if your
    UEM
     environment is integrated with
    Android Enterprise
    .
  • If you want to enable
    BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus
    , select the
    When activating Android Enterprise devices, enable premium UEM functionality such as BlackBerry Secure Connect Plus
     option. You must upload the
    BlackBerry Connectivity
     app as an internal app and assign it to users.
IT policy rules
For users that are assigned the
Work and personal - user privacy
 (
Android Enterprise
) activation type, verify the following in the IT policy:
  • Enable the
    Allow installation of non Google Play apps
     IT policy rule to allow the installation of apps outside of
    Google Play
    .
Non-
BlackBerry Dynamics
 apps
For non-
BlackBerry Dynamics
 apps, add the apps to
UEM
 as internal apps and assign them to users.
  1. Obtain the .apk files of the apps that you want to assign. For example, to download the latest version of the BlackBerry Connectivity app, visit the BlackBerry myAccount portal.
  2. In the
    BlackBerry UEM
     management console, on the menu bar, click
    Apps
    .
  3. Click The Add an app icon >
    Internal apps
    .
  4. Click
    Browse
     and select the .apk file.
  5. In the
    Send to
     field, select
    All Android devices
    .
  6. Deselect
    Publish app in Google domain
    .
  7. Click
    Add
    .
  8. Repeat the previous steps for each app that you want to add.
  9. Assign the apps to users. The app disposition must be set to
    Required
    .
BlackBerry Dynamics
 apps
For
BlackBerry Dynamics
 apps, upload the internal app source file and assign the app to users.
Perform the following steps to install or update internal apps on devices that don’t have access to
Google Play
:
  1. Obtain the .apk files of the
    BlackBerry Dynamics
     apps that you want to assign.  For example, to download
    BlackBerry Work
    , visit support.blackberry.com/community and read article 42607.
  2. In the
    BlackBerry UEM
     management console, on the menu bar, click
    Apps
    .
  3. Click a
    BlackBerry Dynamics
     app (for example,
    BlackBerry Work
    ). 
  4. Click the
    Android
     tab.
  5. Click
    Add internal app source file
    .
  6. Click
    Browse
     and select the .apk file.
  7. Click
    Add
    .
  8. Click
    Save
    .
  9. Repeat the previous steps for each app that you want to add.
  10. Assign the apps to users. The app disposition must be set to
    Required
    .
BlackBerry UEM Client
 app update
To update the
UEM Client
 app on devices, users must manually download the latest version of the .apk file and install it.  For more information, visit support.blackberry.com/community and read article 42607.
For more information about supporting
Android Enterprise
 devices without access to
Google Play
, visit support.blackberry.com/community to read article 57492.