Android System Updates with Workspace ONE UEM

The Android Updates console page lists all firmware updates available for Android devices. On this page, you can review and push updates for Android devices. This is helpful in allowing you to perform testing to resolve any compability issues and monitor available upates across devices before pushing firmware updates to your device fleet.

The updates are listed by release dates and details including information about specific OEMs, model, and carriers. Each model/carrier combination is a different firmware update.

For example, you might see Samsung Galaxy S7 for T-mobile and a separate update for Samsung Galaxy S7 on Sprint. The list can be sorted by OEM and carrier.

Publish Firmware Updates (Android)

The Android Updates console page lists all firmware updates available for Android devices and allows you to view specific firmware versions and select to prompt the user to install the update.

  1. Navigate to Devices Device Updates.

  2. View and select the radio button beside the desired update.

  3. Select Manage Update.

  4. Configure the settings:

    Settings Description
    Install Method Select Auto Installto select the timeframe to schedule updates. Select Install on Demand and users are prompted to accept firmware updates before it is installed on their device.
    Deployment Start Schedule the start date and time for update.Updates can be scheduled no more than 30 days in advance with a maximum update window of 7 days. Updates within this window will be published to devices every 4 hours in the server time zone.
    Deployment End Schedule the end date and time for update.
    Server Time Zone This field is read only as it generates from the server.
    Network Select whether to deploy the updates when the devices are connected to Wi-Fi Only or Any network connection.

  5. Select Publish. The Manage Updates window closes and the UEM console returns to the Updates page.

    Note: If for some reason you need to cancel or change the update, select the desired update and select Cancel Schedule from the Manage Update window.

Since the updates are batched into device groups, previous updated devices cannot be revoked.

Samsung Enterprise Firmware Over The Air (EFOTA) Updates

Samsung Enterprise Firmware Over the Air (EFOTA) allows you to manage and restrict firmware updates on Samsung devices running Android 7.0 Nougat or later.

For Samsung devices, you must register for a Samsung E-FOTA license in order to get updates. Features are not available until registered.

The Samsung EFOTA flow involves registering your EFOTA settings provided by your licensed reseller, enabling “Register Enterprise FOTA” in the Android restrictions profile, and viewing and selecting applicable updates to push to devices.

Samsung EFOTA can only be configured at customer level Organization Group, so all devices registered under that Organization Group receive updates. Consider creating a separate Organization Group for testing before pushing to all devices.

Register Samsung Enterprise Firmware Over The Air Updates

Use the Devices & Users System Settings page to enter your EFOTA settings provided by Samsung or your licensed reseller.

  1. Navigate to Devices > Device Settings > Devices & Users > Android > Samsung Enterprise FOTA.

  2. Enter the settings:

    Setting Description
    Customer ID Enter the ID provided by your licensed reseller.
    License Enter the license provided by your licensed reseller.
    Client ID Enter the Client ID provided by your licensed reseller.
    Client Secret Enter the Client Secret provided by your licensed reseller.

  3. Select Save.

Configure Restrictions Profile (Samsung EFOTA)

Restriction profiles lock down native functionality of Android devices and vary based on OEM. Enabling the “Register Enterprise FOTA” restriction locks down assigned devices to their current firmware versionsrsion.

This field in the Restrictions profile only becomes available when you select Samsung from the OEM Settings field.

  1. Navigate to Devices > Profile & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android > Restrictions.

  2. Select Configure

  3. Enable Register Enterprise FOTA.

    Allow OTA Upgrade must be enabled or firmware updates are blocked.

  4. Select Save & Publish.

Android OS Update for Work Managed Device

Upgrade Android Work Managed devices remotely with a local zip file through the OS Upgrade File-Action.

This OS Upgrade task applies specifically to Work Managed devices running Android 10.0 or later. If you want to OS Upgrade on Zebra devices, then see Create an OS Upgrade for Zebra Devices, Android 8.0+.

Procedure

  1. Retrieve the OS update zip file/package from the OEM
  2. Navigate to File/Action under Devices > Provisioning > Components > Files/Actions to upload the zip file. Install manifest should contain OS Upgrade action with the uploaded zip file selected
  3. The zip file needs to be downloaded to Hub’s internal storage directory. Use the wildcard $osupdate$ in the file download location, which will find the correct file path regardless of OEM.
  4. Example: $osupdate$/update.zip
  5. Add the File/Action to a Product manifest. Configure any other criteria, such as assignment and deployment conditions.
  6. Hub downloads zip and calls OS upgrade API
  7. Device reboots into recovery and installs the update (or in case of A/B update, device simply reboots into new version when ready)
  8. Hub performs post-update validation to ensure the new build got installed
  9. Hub will also update the build number Custom Attribute that gets reported to the console

Results

After successful validation, product goes to complete/compliant state, and the build number custom attribute for the device is updated to the new version.

check-circle-line exclamation-circle-line close-line
Scroll to top icon