Internal App Versioning

Internal and Enterprise apps get updated on a regular basis to offer latest functionality and security enhancements. Workspace ONE makes it easy to update these apps on end user devices over-the-air automatically, without having to connect the device to a computer. In this section, we are going to add an internal app on-demand and install it from Workspace ONE catalog. We will also see how to update the app in the AirWatch console so that it gets updated on the enrolled device without any app data loss.

1. Install the Internal app from Workspace ONE Catalog

Since we do not have many apps deployed in this lab, we can see all the apps from the default view. However, we are still going to validate the app category we assigned while deploying our internal app.

1.1. Validate the Category of the internal app

  1. Tap on Got it! to dismiss the notification.
  2. Tap on the Menu icon in the top right corner.
  3. Tap on Productivity to filter the apps with that category.

1.2. Install 1.0.1 version of the internal app

Validate that you only seeing AppLifecycle v1.0.1 for the category Productivity. Click on Install to continue.

1.3. Confirm Installation in Workspace ONE Catalog

Click on Install to initiate app installation.

1.4. Install the app

Click on Install to accept OS prompt for installing the internal app.

If your device is supervised, then you will not see the OS prompt for installing internal and enterprise apps.

iOS device supervision enables the internal apps to be installed silently.

1.5. Confirm app installation on the device

Click on the Home button of the iPad to return to the springboard. Confirm that the app AppLifecycle got installed successfully.

2. Add an updated version of the Internal app to AirWatch Console

We will upload a new version of our internal app to see how this reflects in the AirWatch Console as well as on our device.

Back to the AirWatch console,

  1. Click on Apps & Books
  2. Expand Applications
  3. Click on Native
  4. Click the Internal tab
  5. Click on the hyperlink for AppLifecycle

2.2. Add Version

Click on + Add Version in the top right corner.

2.3. Upload the new version

While updating the new version of the app, AirWatch displays the current active version to help determine the app upgrade path.

Click on Upload

2.4. Choose File

Click Choose File

  1. Click on Downloads
  2. Select AppLifecycle_102.ipa
  3. Click Open

2.6. Save

Click Save. The application will take around 45 - 60 seconds to upload.

2.7. Complete the app update

  1. Validate that you have uploaded AppLifecycle_102.ipa
  2. Click Save to continue.

2.8. Save & Assign

While retaining all the defaults, click on Save & Assign

2.9. Save & Publish

While retaining all the defaults, click on Save & Publish

Preview your device assignment and click Publish to continue.

3. Install the updated version of the app from Workspace ONE Catalog

Let's view the update process on the device in Workspace ONE when apps are updated through the AirWatch Console.

3.1. Launch Workspace ONE

Back to the enrolled iPad, tap on the icon to launch Workspace ONE app.

3.2. Enter Passcode For Timeout (IF NEEDED)

In case you encounter a timeout, enter the iPad passcode to log back into Workspace App.

3.3. Refresh Workspace ONE Catalog and update the app

You may be seeing the old version of the app (1.0.1) after launching the Workspace ONE app. Swipe down in the screen to refresh.

  1. After the refresh, ensure that you are seeing v1.0.2 for AppLifecycle.
  2. Click on Update

3.4. Confirm Installation in Workspace ONE Catalog

Click on Install to initiate app installation.

3.5. Confirm app update on the device

Click on the Home button of the iPad to return to the springboard. Confirm that you are seeing the blue dot next to the app AppLifecycle which indicates that app got updated successfully.

4. Uninstall the app from managed devices

As a part of AirWatch flexible deployment, the app removal from AirWatch has three different phases:

  1. Retire - Removes an application from all managed devices. For iOS devices, if an older version of the application exists in the AirWatch solution, then this older version is pushed to devices.
  2. Deactivate - Removes an application and all versions of it from all managed devices.
  3. Delete - Deletes the app from AirWatch Database. If the application is currently installed on any devices, it puts the app in the Deactivated state first. You can then remove the app by changing the filter to Inactive.

Use the Retire option if you want to revert to an earlier version, without uninstalling the app from all the enrolled devices.