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Android apps are not installing immediately

What

As an administrator, you use FileWave to send a policy to an Android device.  This policy will be enforced on the device.  However, the precise timing of when to implement the policy changes, and particularly installing and updating applications, is determined by the device itself.

When/Why

Google prioritizes battery life and user experience for Android users.  As a result, Android Play Store filesets that have been associated with a device may take up to 24 hours to install or update, per Android user experience priorities.

How

You can check the Android Device Policy on the device.  The Policies section will reflect the status of apps specified by the policy. 

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Instructions to speed up the process

There are two ways to accelerate this process, but both require some level of cooperation from the user:

  1. Once a Fileset has been associated with a device, within a short period of time, the app should appear as available in the user’s Play Store on the device.  The user can select to install the app immediately.

  2. The user may put their device into a passive state, by:

  3. Turning on wifi and connecting to the internet

  4. Charging their device

  5. Clear out any running applications and stop using the device for a period of time

Alternatively, wait for a period of time (up to 24 hours) and the policy will eventually be applied and apps will be installed.

Future

Google has added a new feature called “high priority updates”.  This can be specified at a per-app level and indicates that the device should install or update an app immediately, but this is not yet in FileWave as of 15.2.1.