Google Moving Android to Work Profiles for Device Management

Android
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Google have announced their intent in deprecating the current management API’s in favour of work profiles

We understand that for some organizations this switch may take time so we will have developed an extended timeline for the transition. Device admin API will be supported through Android Oreo and existing functionality will continue to be available in the next major Android release, though device admin APIs for password enforcement will no longer be supported. In the following Android release, expected in 2019, the APIs for password enforcement will no longer be available. We strongly recommend that businesses plan to move to work profile and managed device APIs. By sharing this update early, we aim to provide companies with sufficient time to migrate existing devices or start fresh as new ones are added to their fleet.

Now is a good time to start planing/migrating Android devices to Android Enterprise (Android for Work)

Airwatch Documentation

Citrix Documentation

MobileIron Documentation

InTune Documentation

Android Enteprise Enrolment Guides

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Not work profiles specifically, but Android enterprise which incorporates work profiles (BYOD), work-managed (COBO) and work profiles on managed devices (COPE).

More info on AE:

And on the deprecation:

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Now with the release of Android 9 (Pie) additional API’s are marked for depreciation when invoked by Device Admin.

These API’s will continue to function until the release of Android Q.

Policy Description
USES_POLICY_DISABLE_CAMERA Disables use of all device cameras
USES_POLICY_DISABLE_KEYGUARD_FEATURES Disable keyguard customisations such as lock screen widgets
USES_POLICY_EXPIRE_PASSWORD Password must be changed after specified period of time
USES_POLICY_LIMIT_PASSWORD Password must meet specified guidelines

References:

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/admin/DeviceAdminInfo

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As stated earlier by Google, Android Q has removed the APIs stated above

https://developer.android.com/preview/work#deprecation_of_device_admin_policies

Only the following APIs remain