iOS 14 - MDM Updates (Which do you want to see first?)

[PeterJames]

Hello,

With the WWDC out the way now, I thought I would mention some very welcome improvements coming in iOS14.

(Apple have stated that any device than can run iOS13 will be able to run iOS14!)

The MDM feature list (not a full list, and Apple may pull them before release) mentioned by Apple is as follows. I have ranked them in the priority order that I would like to see. What would be yours?

1. Setup Assistant Skip Screens for Upgrades
2. Non-Removable iOS Apps
3. Time Zone Awareness (Set via MDM)
4. The ability to force delayed app software updates
5. Content Caching Metrics via MDM*
6. Encrypted DNS Settings
7. VPN-tied Profiles
8. Allow/disallow App Clips
9. Notification configurations may now optionally specify a preview type.

*Content caching allows the “sharing” of downloads from Apple (whether they are apps, books, or OS updates) between devices on the same network.

A few for MacOS are as follows:

• Automated Enrollment Improvements
• Lights Out Management for Mac Pro
• True App “Management” for macOS
• UAMDM And Supervision Consolidation

Feel free to add any I might have missed and if you have any question about these, let me know and I will do my best to help.

We should hopefully see iOS14 beta launched this month, but only the vendors/devs have pre-zero day access to the Apple MDM Protocol Beta API. Typically there will be a switch over day in to the new API (things sometimes break at that moment), then this [doc] gets updated maybe one-two weeks later, and finally iOS14 is open to the public.

Whilst the above doc PDF shows you what is possible, it does necessary mean it gets implemented. Basically, there is a list of features Apple state are mandatory and others optional.

Thank you,

Peter James

[vassallon]

@PeterJames 

#2 is the biggest one in my book and I hope it is day 1 supported by Meraki. One of the biggest issues I have as a school district is that either I allow students to remove Apps or not. We are currently forced to allow app removal because if you block this then students cannot remove web clips that they have saved onto the iPads or any unneeded apps from the iPad. The issue with this is the Meraki App gets deleted which then removes the "Approved App Store" from the iPad