Managed Google Play enables IT admins to manage and control the applications available to their end users’ work devices. It helps organizations to minimize the security risks that can arise from malicious apps that an end user might install on their device.

To simplify IT admins’ app management workflow, we’ve integrated the Managed Google Play iframe into Citrix Endpoint Management (CEM). This enables IT admins to approve and publish public or private apps from within the CEM console. Admins no longer need to go outside the console to the Managed Play or Developer portals to approve or publish apps.

Really, it’s that easy.

First, choose the application type you would like to deploy: Public (Slack, Chrome, etc.), MDX (Secure Mail, Secure Web, etc.), or Enterprise (private apps).

For Public Apps

  1. Select Android Enterprise as the platform and provide a category to better organize your apps.
  2. In the search bar, type the name or keyword of the app you want to publish. The Managed Play iframe will open within the console with suggestions (see image below).
  3. Approve the app and publish it for the appropriate group of end users.

For MDX Apps

  1. Upload the MDX file for the required app.
  2. The CEM console will alert you if the app isn’t approved.
  3. Approve the app from within the console. Set the required MDX policies and publish the app for the appropriate group of end users.

For Enterprise and Private Apps

  1. The embedded Google Managed Play iframe displays with the option to upload a private app.
  2. Once the app is uploaded, it takes up to 10 minutes to get an approval and post that admins can follow the workflow to publish it to right set of users.
  3. Admins can choose advanced edits option to change the icon or other tasks.

This new app management experience is a big improvement over the past, when you had to have a developer account and it would take hours to get an app approved. Now, you don’t need a developer account (or have to pay the $25 to get one), and apps can be approved and published within 10 minutes.

But Wait, There’s More! App Track ID

We have also enabled the ability for admins to publish apps that are released for closed-loop testing. With the latest CEM cloud release, admins will have the option to choose the production track (Alpha, Beta, etc.) when publishing an app. This provides flexibility to admins, who can now assign the Alpha or Beta versions to set of power users while the rest of the organization uses the production version.

When you publish an app in the App Details screen you will see a drop down for “Production tracks.” Here, admins can choose Production or any other tracks as provided by the app developer (Alpha, Beta, etc.). If there are no tracks available, Production is the default. Once you choose the track, just assign it to the right set of users.

With Citrix Endpoint Management, we’ve been focused on improving the capabilities and features available for Android Enterprise. Our latest update greatly improves the app management experience for IT admins. Stay tuned for more Android Enterprise features, and check out these blog posts for more information on what we’ve recently added: