change apk verion code (work in progress)

disclaimer: this is neither a supported guide nor allowed, i’m not suitable for any loss

issue

we want to republish the old app with a new version, e.g. an app got accidentally updated from playstore and isn’t working anymore – this was raised in a business case since google’s auto block update feature failed – more or less a challange to find a way to get it back working, let’s begin

the app

coose your desired app, in this example Avaya Workplace app available from Google PlayStore in version: 3.14.0.53.FA-RELEASE54-BUILD.19

we need to get the apk file of that app, extract/download with one of the service below

OnDevice Apk Extractor

Online apkpure

decompile

use apktool to reverse engineer the apk, extract and decode the resources to nearly original format, download required jre for java here

change verison

to change the version of the app, edit the apktool.yml in the extracted path, raise the “versionCode” as well the “versionName” above the last/current release

build

after the change we need to rebuild the decompiled and edited apk

apktool build $OUTPUT_FOLDER

sign and align

there is a tool Uber Apk Signer that helps signing, zip aligning and verifying Android application packages (APKs), you need a keystore generated with Android Studio or keytool

java -jar c:\temp\uber-apk-signer.jar -a "C:\temp\avaya.3.14_neu.apk" --ks /path/release.jks --ksAlias my_alias

test

install successfully, the newly installed version is above the original 3.14.x, deploy the app to the required devices, either manually, via EMM system or solutions like Samsung KNOX Configure

update is not possible, wenn try to install the app over an existing one – it fails – since the signature differs from orginal signed app to resigned version

reference “with a changed signature they will have to uninstall the current app before they can install the same app with the new signature”

Summary: Always use the same signature!

Check: http://developer.android.com/tools/publishing/app-signing.html

summary

… so walked amost the entire way, but got stuck at a crutial point, so either

• got assistance to get the signature working
• the signing process is as secure as google promise

switching from honor/huawei to samsung … or the state of android usablitiy

in other words, switch from a non-google android to fully supported android, huawei is the parent company of honor, choose because it’s EMUI respectively MagicUI is quite close at iOS Usability, used a lot in the past years

• Honor 8 Pro
• Huawei Mate 10 pro
• Huawei P30 Pro
• Huawei Mate 20 Pro
• Honor P20 Pro

… but not it’s time to turn my back to Huawei/Honor, because:

• EMUI10 removed “Download” app
• Battery Optimisation is quite aggressive with required notifications
• tricky without google play services in the future
• integration into Windows 10 oder Android Enterprise, leaves space to improve

start the journey a new vendor – several years already owned a Samsung S6 edge (drowned without IP68 protection 😉 – finally choose Samsung S20

this is the second view of Samsungs Flagship smartphone, technical facts could be find else where, just want to focus on the handling

• download – huawei/honor removed it’s download app, also Samsung don’t offer per default a “download” app, but you could create several shortcuts in “My Files” App right to your homescreen *thumbsup*

• integration – Samsung expand strategic partnership with Microsoft, buildin “Link to Windows” it just connection to the Windows Your Phone App, available from PlayStore, Samsung Cloud is replaced with Microsoft OneDrive

• 5G – not required because on it’s way but yet not usable
• battery – with 4000 mAh, always running low in the early afternoon, “battery optimization” is more strict at Honor/Huawei, but seams to be more effective then generally reduce overall system performance at Samsung
• max power saving – in worst case there is an option to disable all smart features and leaves just a few app to enhance battery life for basic tasks, camera, telephone – at EMUI it was also possible to select from all installed apps, while Samsung offers just a predefined set (e.g. without brave browser, no telegram but whatsapp!?)

• 

• 

• multi screen – Samsung offers with it’s build in dex mode an easy way to enhange working from a mobile device attached to a large screen, Honor and Huawei as well, there also other options around

second screen – how to multi screen | updated

let’s check how to use display content at a second screen to raise productivity, there are several options to enlarge your screen, the power of your mobile device is most of the time enough to serve multi screen windows project, duplicate, extend are availabe options when hit windows key + p to open up charms bar…

by matthias mader 8. October 201927. January 2020

• dual sim – always use two SIM cards for different coutry’s, both offer the ability to configure settings per sim – at Honor it is easier to jump into SIM-settings with a homescreen shortcut, not possible at Samsung – here is it easier to switch between SIM services from notifiation panel, not possible at honor

• quick search – swipe down to open device wide search for app, contacts or internet content, Honor/Huawei open search and parallel opens keyboard to start typing – same behaviour at iOS devices, the keyboard automatically launch – your guessing it, i’m missing auto-launch of the keyboard at Samsung’s launcher

• 

  Honor

• 

  iPhone

• 

  Samsung

apple’s introduced app libary in iOS14 sort all apps, but search needs to be initiated via an additional click, at Samsung it require’s me to use fastfinder app or another launcher

• unlock – i tested all unlock options available at the market, the dedicated fingerprint is the most reliable and fast option in 2020, inscreen fingerprint quite slow, faceunlock is useless in while wearing a mask or during night in the dark
• android enterprise – i’m a fan of the profile separation, what a pity that google wasn’t able to provide the same usablity for all vendors – page vs. folder

• 

  Honor – separate page

• 

  Samsong – Work folder

• send attachments – like the buildin option to reduce file size when sending an attachement via mail at iOS or EMUI, missed at Samsung

• 

  iOS

• 

  EMUI

… there are some other pro/con on both sides, this is just a kind of best pratice summary sofar

android 11 beta public available

dessert code name, but lots of new features, focused on three key themes: People, Controls, and Privacy

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• 

• 

perform update at https://www.google.com/android/beta for the following devices:

• Pixel 2
• Pixel 2 XL
• Pixel 3
• Pixel 3 XL
• Pixel 3a
• Pixel 3a XL
• Pixel 4
• Pixel 4 XL

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… best obviously feature so far:

• Priority conversations, mark as “priority”
• Media controls, in Quick Settings
• Bubbles, chat over other apps
• Notifications, simpler and more control
• Conversations
• Do Not Disturb, per App
• Screenshots, in lower left corner
• Screen recording, native android feature
• Privacy, one-time permission to localtion, camera or mic

further with Project Mainline, google push key system components directly over the air independant from carrier/vendor

btw Easter egg isn’t updated yet (in Settings > About phone > Android Version > repeatedly tap on Android version)

unwrapping android 11 beta plus more @google

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the state of cyber security in 2020

picture-in-picture checkup 2020

save data or at least reduce the consumption, optimize for rural regions, holidays, etc.

android bloatware in business

android device arrive with alot of preinstalled app like facebook, flipboard, skype and for sure google service (youtube,maps,gmail,etc.) – for private use this is anoying, but for business it is essential to secure the usecase

android enterprise

when enabling Android Enterprise for Kiosk/Company devices, during setup the default apps could be disabled with this switch – PROVISIONING_LEAVE_ALL_SYSTEM_APPS_ENABLED – Samsung offers this with it’s KNOX Mobile Enrollment and google with buildin zero-touch service

be aware that you loose the native camera app if your usecase require one

device management

after your device is enrolled in mobile device managment system (emm, uem or whatever) your able to restrict installed apps by package name, apps differ from device manufaturer and os level, package names also useful to arrange/allow in kiosk setup, for samsung XCover4s these are:

• com.samsung.android.messaging
• com.sec.android.app.samsungapps
• com.samsung.android.calendar
• com.samsung.android.email.provider
• com.sec.android.app.myfiles
• com.sec.android.gallery3d
• com.sec.android.app.clockpackage.clockpackage
• com.sec.android.app.clockpackage.alarm.alarmalert
• com.google.android.gm
• com.google.android.youtube
• com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox
• com.sec.android.app.fm
• com.google.android.apps.maps
• com.samsung.android.contacts
• com.samsung.android.dialer
• com.samsung.android.game.gamehome
• com.sec.factory.camera
• com.sec.android.app.camera
• com.sec.android.app.clockpackage
• com.sec.android.app.sbrowser
• com.microsoft.skydrive
• com.facebook.katana

adb tools

remove bloatware from a single device or find from from a reference device locally connected

1. install USB drivers for your device
2. download & install ADB tools
3. enable Developer Options & USB debugging
4. plug in your device into the computer
5. open a terminal and type: adb devices
6. will return the ID of your device
7. in adb shell with: adb shell
8. list all installed packages: pm list packages
9. to remove packages type: pm uninstall -k -user 0 <package name>

take care to not disable system critical apps of android, check here

you know chrome’s offline easteregg and how to play online

you notice it when sites doesn’t load or videos can’t played… not at Firefox or IE

• 

• 

google added in 2014 a little endless runner to chrome browser, the developer wrote about the idea – when your trying to load something and the connection suddenly stops – simply tab the screen or hit the spacebar – jump over the cactus/cacti the speed raises with game progress

• at your desktop just hit chrome://dino to play the game even when your online

• from mobile either enable flight mode, open chromedino.com or chromedino.com/black

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let the games begin

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windows 10 is (still) mobile

by the end of this year microsoft will end the support for windows 10 mobile on december 10 2019, the october release 1709 was the last update back in 2017

since microsoft wasn’t able to get a markable footprint in mobile business, windows phone failed, relaunched a windows 10 mobile .. there are still ways to combine windows 10 and mobile

launcher 10 – android launcher

i was a huge fan of windows 10 mobile and it’s live tile design, but missing enterprise features und apps forced me to look for other opportunities

launcher 10 offers the beloved windows phone design for android smarthphones as seaperate launcher, sort and resize your tiles including a paid feature of live tiles

live tiles are deprecated of microsoft, and microsoft missed to remove all refences, so it’s possible to do a sub domain tack over, the the service is still online http://www.buildmypinnedsite.com/

your phone app companion

every windows 10 embed a feature to connect your ios or android phone to be able to remote use features like sending messages or access media remotely from your device or synchronize file changes between devices

with is current windows 10 insider preview build 18885 (20H1) microsoft added notification for android devices – stop reaching for your phone to check your with features like

• see incoming phone notifications in real-time
• view all of your phone notifications in one place
• customize which notifications you want to receive
• clear notifications individually or all at once

read more about productivity with a second screen

3rd party services

other apps like airdroid pushbulltet, mightytext and others offer the also the ability to compose and receive messages from desktop , transfer files without a wired connection and for sure receive push notifications directly from device – additionally
possible within your browser, independent from your platfrom os or even device with when using a webservice

apple

if your using an apple device you’d probably own a mac and should use features like
universal clipboard, make calls with your mac, send and receive messages or handoff immediately between devices where your stopped before, everything connected to icloud

use continuity to connect your mac, iphone, ipad, ipod touch, and apple watch

qr code & share wifi

qr code in business it is quite common to use qr code to optimize processes – in private this feature is rarely adopted, but …

read more: enterprise features of android pie

 

qr code

often used to link webpages, promote sales offers or share contacts – different styles, colors or even logos are possible …

     

 

… but it gets complicated if you don’t know how to scan the code, first need to download a qr code reader app – since ios11 apple added the native function to scan qr code with camera app – some android device got a qr code reader pre-installed, other need to download it from app store

 

wifi qr code

enterprise facing other challenges to secure authenticate and trust devices

read more: wifi security today and attack vectors

friends often request to join private wifi – tell the password ? no – enter your 12diget&complex$pezialC4ract3r password ? maybe not

create a qr code of your wifi incl. password, with services like qifi, your friends needs to “simply” scan the code

tested: for ios since ios11 it is working pretty easy, android devices with pre-installed qr code reader need to find the right app, but even my huawei ai powered camera is unable to recognize the qr code

update: since ios12 it is possible to add qr code scanner to control center to access from lockscreen and qr codes  highlighted in camera while scanning

 

ios share wifi

even since ios11 apple added a feature to share wifi password between two ios devices, unless you have an ios device, the are some requirements to be meet

• both ios devices need ios11 or newer installed
• both ios devices need wifi and bluetooth enabled
• your ios device must be actively connected to the wifi that the other device wants to join
• both ios devices need physical proximity to each other
• you must have each other in contacts list

 

be aware

1. that trusted devices are inside your network, may access your private services (sonos) or unsecured storages (nas) – better setup a separate guest wifi, with just access to the internet
2. shared passwords synced to google backup or icloud backup

evolution of android security updates

android has a huge diversity in os versions, for enterpise is mandatory to provide high security …

read more: mobile os version spread

samsung

launched it’s own EFOTA service to control software update remote to your managed samsung device @samsung

android enterprise recommended

android devices must satisfy numerous requirements, including regular security updates: at least every 90 days, with monthly updates strongly recommended. @google

 

android one

designed by google. smart, secure and simply amazing

devices that run the unmodified android to provide best compatibility and support @google

project treble

restructued android os framework since android 8 to make it easier, faster, and less costly for manufacturers to provide updates @google

 

update: what enterprise devices already got, will privided to all android devices – google mandates two years of security updates for popular phones in new android contract

 

be aware of malware

android pie enterprise

announced device administrator deprecation pushing android enterprise futher to…

improving productivity, security, and digital wellbeing for the enterprise

key facts for enterprise are:

• better realisation (separation) of work profiles
• deaper support for single purpose devices
• advanced security

read more: enterprise features of android p

already rolling out android 9 to pixel devices, huawei mate 20 get it preinstalled, huawei is pushing hard in android enterprise recommenced, device running android oreo should get updates quicker as before because of google’s project treble

@google

proof: my huawei still got google august security update

unified endpoint management

today’s employees use at least two or more devices to do daily work on various os at different versions – it is time for a new class of tools – unified endpoint management (uem) combine the management of multiple endpoint types in a single console

evolution

from pc configuration lifecycle management (pcclm) via client management tools (cmt) to unified endpoint management (uem) – companies listed in the client management tools magic quadrant already transformed, other a overruled

content

while enterprise mobility management (emm) is highly competitive and rapidly transforming — for instance, good technology, which was in gartner’s magic quadrant in 2015, was acquired by blackberry, airwatch was acquired by vmware in 2014 – emm contains of:

• mobile device management (mdm)
• mobile application management (mam)
• mobile identity (mi)
• mobile content management (mcm)

uem combine cmt + emm + iot

benefit

1. reduce it management cost – a single tool
2. improved security – get the best of both
3. better insights – reporting
4. prepared – enterprise of things

gartner

magic quadrant reports the ability to execute and completeness of vision for vendors – read full report here

tco

according to gartner research, the annual tco of a fully managed smartphone using emm is almost
80% lower than the annual tco of a fully managed desktop using cmt

@mobileiron