Google Workspace admins will now be able to specify how and when Android apps installed on employee devices will be updated.
Administrators will now be able to specify whether updates to tools like Docs, Sheets, and Slides are installed immediately or postponed, giving them more control over how Android apps are deployed to their fleet of business smartphones and tablets.
Additionally, administrators will be able to set these policies at the group level within their organizations.
Manage Android apps
Until now, the default behavior for app updates in Google Workspace depended on whether the device was connected to a Wi-Fi network, charged, and in active use.
Google says this behavior isn't always appropriate for its customers, and administrators need more granular control over how apps are updated.
With this update, administrators can now set specific criteria for updating their employees' workspace apps.
Administrators will now have access to a variety of upgrade options. These include "high priority", where updates are installed immediately, as well as "deferred mode", where automatic updates are delayed three months after a new version is released.
The product update is scheduled for a gradual rollout, allowing up to 15 days for feature visibility, starting on April 21, 2022.
The new update is available for Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Fundamentals, Education Standard, Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Education Plus, Frontline, legacy G Suite Business and Basic customers, and Cloud Identity.
The news comes as Google continues to be active in terms of adding new features to its Workspace suite.
Google recently introduced a series of updates to the suite, including the ability to integrate Meet directly into Docs, Sheets, and Slides, allowing Google Workspace users to quickly start a meeting when collaborating on a project.
The update also included smaller additions, like the ability to use emoji reactions in meetings.