Zoom Rooms iOS app update

[jtrant]

Hello,

Given that Zoom are enabling GCM encryption 5/30 which will not support older versions of the Zoom Rooms application, I'm curious to know how other admins are managing updates to the Zoom Rooms application for iOS.

We currently deploy the application to our supervized iPads using VPP, and do not check the "force application updates" checkbox as the timing of the update can't be controlled.

As we are not using Zoom Device Manager we can't deploy the update from the Zoom console, so I'm left with having techs manually update the app or remove it from scope and re-add it to install the latest version.

Does anyone have any other ideas, or has anyone used the "force application updates" checkbox in Jamf Pro with any success?

Thanks,
Justin.

[kyletoburen]

In theory, this is how tech support explained it to me, I have not been able to fully test this process, but I have gone through it numerous times. In the Devices > Mobile Device Apps > (app to be updated screen), scroll to the bottom and copy the App URL "App URL of the app's iTunes Preview page (e.g. "https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/name-of-app/id123456789?mt=8")". Paste this into a browser and find the latest version number.
Now copy (or remember) the latest version number listed in the App Store.
Back to the Jamf App page, Edit and paste (or type) in the latest version number, in the Short Version of the App field. Save.
As devices check, in they will see a new version listed and, in theory, then upgrade to this version. This could maybe be used as a versioning control, as to never put in the latest version number, but the last known good version. Same rules apply as before, you can never downgrade a version, and all net new devices, will get the latest version from the App store, regardless of what is in the Short Version field.

I always check the "force application updates" box, but I don't see any difference.

[jtrant]

Very useful information, thanks @kyletoburen. Any impact on the application in terms of updating it - does the iPad need to be signed back in or added to the room? I'm trying to ensure this is as seamless as possible, given that we have limited access to our offices should it go bad.

[amonteiro]

Our org is in the same position. Has anyone tried the method above that can report on the results?

[amonteiro]

I'm also interested in this method. Has anyone here tried it that can report on the results?

[jtrant]

I'll be going through this process next week and will update with my results.

[jtrant]

Just following up on this. The update process went OK overall, but there are some gotchas:

• I had to check the "Automatically force app updates" checkbox for the iPads to receive the app update
• Some devices prompted to update with a "Jamf is about to upgrade the application Zoom Rooms" and wouldn't proceed until I tapped 'Update'
• Others got the update right away and installed without interaction
• Some devices complained about not being able to install an app while in single-app mode, most didn't care

Less reliable than I would have liked, but much better than manually updating an app on 160+ devices.

[jtrant]

Now that Zoom are requiring Macs/iPads be running versions of the app no more than 9 months old, has anyone re-visited this in an effort to automate iOS Zoom Room app updates?