Configure Appspace for Devices App on Android

The Appspace for Devices app for Android, is ideal for displaying content for signage, workplace displays, or room bookings, with the device registered and configured in device mode, on tablets, TVs, and Android-based smart TVs and set-top boxes. Configuring the app in device mode consumes one Device ID during registration.

This article provides the instructions to register and configure Android devices with the Appspace for Devices app for set-top boxes and tablets.

Prerequisites

• The device must meet the manufacturer’s minimum hardware and technical specifications. Please refer to Supported Devices & Operating Systems.
  Warning

  It is highly advisable for you to ensure any chosen device will fit seamlessly into your environment, and meet the needs of your specific use case. Please test your Android device with the Appspace app before you choose to deploy to your production environment. Do contact us for any questions and we’ll be happy to make some introductions.
• An active Appspace account, with sufficient Device IDs.
• An active Appspace account, with sufficient device licenses to register the device.
• Account Owner or Location Admin user roles with sufficient platform licenses.
• An active Internet connection.
• It is recommended to use Mobile Device Management (MDM) software to ensure tablets running the Appspace app can be restarted periodically, or automatically after a crash.
• It is recommended that the device clock is set to automatically retrieve time from a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server, with the correct time zone, in order for it to sync correctly with the Appspace server.
  Note

  • Appspace cloud servers retrieve time from an NTP server by default. If an Appspace on-prem server is used, ensure the server time is automatically retrieved by the NTP server.
  • Appspace has updated its timezone configuration, which now includes timezones other than GMT. This enables users with daylight savings to adjust the time accordingly. For more information, refer to the Appspace 7.1-ac.8 Release Notes
• Please ensure your network is configured to allow Appspace Approved URLs and the relevant network ports.
  On your proxy server, ensure our approved URLs are listed in the ‘How to set up networks with SSL content filters’ section in the following article: https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/3504942#sslinspection.

Install Appspace App

Follow the instruction below to download and install the Appspace app on Android devices:

1. Launch the Google Play Store app from your device, and search for Appspace for Devices.
2. Select the Appspace for Devices app, and click the Install button.
3. Once installed, you may launch the Appspace for Devices app by clicking the Open button in the Play Store, or from the Home screen on your device.
4. At the device registration screen, proceed to register your device using the 6-digit code or the QR code.
   
5. Select one of the following channel selection mode:  (You may skip this step if you have not yet created a channel)
   • Users can browse published channels
   • Autoplay published channels
   • Administrators can select a single channel
     Important

     If selecting Users can browse published channels (interactive mode), as the channel selection mode, advanced channels (sign) are not supported. Only playlist channels and live channels are supported.
     
     
     
     
6. Click REGISTER.
7. Once registration is complete, you may choose to manually assign a channel (if you didn’t during the registration process).

8. Once the device sync is complete, the assigned channel will display on the device. For instructions on navigating the app, please see Browse and Navigate Appspace For Devices App.
   

Enable In-App Browser

When displaying any website containing a Content Security Policy (CSP) in an iframe on the Appspace app via the new Web View card, the website is blocked from loading on Android-based devices. A workaround was released in Appspace App 2.19.2.

To fix this issue, the Appspace app will now load the website onto an in-app-browser layer, which is sandboxed, simulating the website launch in a new browser window or tab.

1. 1. Install the Appspace for Devices app (version 2.19.2 and later) on your device.
   2. Proceed to register the device, and select one of the following channel selection mode:
      • Autoplay published channels
      • Administrators can select a single channel
        Important

        The “Users browse published channels” channel selection mode is not supported.
   3. Once registered, add the following device property and value (which are case sensitive), by following the instructions in the Add Device Property article.
      • Device property: player.media.webEngine
      • Device property value: inappbrowser
   4. Create a legacy Web content, and enter the desired website URL. 
   5. Add the legacy web content to a playlist channel, and publish the playlist channel to the Android device to be displayed.

The limitations to this feature are: 

• If using a browser with CSP, you can no longer use the new Web View card because Appspace Cards is unable to talk to the browser layer. You must use the Web (Legacy) content instead (available in the Library under the Legacy category).
• The in-app-browser feature cannot be enabled on devices that have been assigned with Channel Browsing mode with user interaction (“Users browse published channels” channel selection mode), due to layering limitations.
• The device must be configured to display a single channel only or autoplay multiple channels (“Autoplay published channels” or “Administrators can select a single channel“ channel selection mode).
• The in-app-browser is rendered above the Appspace app in full screen, thus the website displayed will be the top-most layer.
• For customers using the advanced channel with a Media Zone layer that is not in full screen, the website will automatically be rendered in full screen, ignoring the widget layering.

Update Appspace App

The Appspace for Devices app is automatically updated by default on Android devices. However, if the app does not update, please follow the instructions to enable automatic updates in the following Update your Android apps article: https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/113412?hl=en

Uninstall Appspace App

To uninstall the Appspace for Devices app, just select Appspace from the Google Play Store and click Uninstall, or simply follow the instructions in the following Delete or disable apps on Android article:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2521768?hl=en.