How does iOS automatic app updating work in practice?

[calvins]

How is automatic iOS app updating supposed to work, from end to end? The manual doesn't really spell out the behavior you are supposed to see.

In my environment, we have JSS 9.82 and iOS 9.3.1. Apps are device assigned via VPP, auto updates and the 2 Managed app settings are set on.

The behavior I was expecting is immediate updates for managed apps with versions below what JSS had. Say an app update comes out. JSS picks up the change at our sync window, then iPads update immediately next time they check-in.

They DO update immediately if I use the Force Update option for that app in JSS, but that defies the point. The point was to buy apps with VPP, push them out to devices, then we don't have to babysit app updates.

Perhaps the automatic update thing doesn't work for apps that weren't installed originally as managed? Or maybe you have to force update the first time? Or auto-updates only work after the first version JSS knew about?

[nsdjoe]

Hi @calvins,

We are using JSS 9.91 and have our devices on iOS 9.3.1. We have all of our Google apps (Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Chrome) posted as device assigned managed apps with Distribution Method set to “Install Automatically,” and “Automatically update app” enabled. The iTunes Sync Time is set to 9:00 PM. Whenever there is an update to one of these apps, the app catalog updates the new version and it auto-installs on the devices. When I look at one of my devices in the JSS the next morning, under Management History I usually see the app update installing at 9:03 PM or 9:05 PM. I haven’t ever had to manually trigger the update to install on devices… so no “babysitting” here.

~Joe

[cdenesha]

I turned on Automatic app updating last week for a select few apps. I'm seeing intermittent results. Some apps updated the Catalog fine, others did not. Some updated all iPads, some only half. We're on 9.91. Still analyzing.

chris

[calvins]

Well now it seems to work sporadically as opposed to not at all. Twitter got an update to 6.53.2 this morning, which JSS picked up. I had 2 iPads scoped that had it installed and managed; 1 iPad got issued an Install App - Twitter command this morning, just like I expected. The other got no commands.

These 2 iPads are in different static groups, but the scoping is for an auto-install on both.