Forum Discussion
Why different broker apps for iOS and Android (not enrolled) when using app protection policies?
Hi Jonas,
yes I can explain why, but I can't explain if it will change in future. Here is the reason for this:
Android has a way to share data between apps which the Intune product uses on the Android platform. Which data actually is shared I don't know, but there are various opportunities for which you can use this. For example to deliver new SDK versions to other apps on the Android platform. The Company Portal is maintained by the Intune product group where the Authenticator app is maintained by the Azure AD product group.
The sharing is officially documented here: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/end-user-mam-apps-android
The Company Portal app is a way for Intune to share data in a secure location. Therefore, the Company Portal app is a requirement for all apps that are associated with app protection policies, even if the device is not enrolled in Intune.
For iOS this is not possible because Apple does not allow such a scenario due to his app model and containerization. So, for iOS there is absolutely no reason then to force usage of the Company Portal but the Authenticator as a broker makes totally sense.
So why does not Android switch to Authenticator as well? I think that's because of the different teams, Intune does not own the Authenticator and maybe the publishing of new versions then is not that fast as they would like it to have (that's the way how big companies and product ownership works).
You can use Microsoft Intune UserVoice to make a Design Change Request or support a maybe already existing one here:
https://microsoftintune.uservoice.com/forums/291681-ideas
best,
Oliver
Hi, I also did read the same information, but this information is about an approved app, not require app protection
Take a look at this Microsoft doc, it tells us to use the company portal app
Android app protection policy settings - Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Docs
Of course to be sure...I tested it... I downloaded Onedrive and when I logged in with my username and password it tells me to install the company portal first.
I did the same test but with the authenticator preinstalled. This time I did not ask me to immediately install the Company portal when I logged in.. but after a few seconds the same prompt... So make sure when you are requiring app protection the company portal is installed
If you want to know some more about app protection
Call4Cloud requiring Approved Apps or an App Protection Policy
Rudy_Ooms_MVP After testing this it seems that the Company Portal is also required on Android for use of Outlook when hitting a CA policy with 'approved client app' requirement. Authenticator was not sufficient unfortunately.
- Hi, I guess that's what I was telling? 🙂
"So make sure when you are requiring app protection the company portal is installed"- Yeah Reading the Snippet I posted, they are talking Specifically about Registration. So for an Android Registration of the device can probably be provided by Authenticator or the Company Portal. But delivering App Protection Policies probably requires Company Portal.
However this seems like an internal struggle inside MS, so we will probably never see a resolution.It's been another year since this and it seems like many articles at docs.microsoft.com has been changed so that Company Portal is no longer required for App Protection policies. Anyone tried it yet? Back in March 2022 when we tried it the last time, Company Portal was still required.
Here's a list of updates:
This article was changed on 5th April 2022:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/protect/app-based-conditional-access-intuneBefore it said:
The user gets redirected to the app store to install a broker app when trying to authenticate for the first time. The broker app can be either the Microsoft Authenticator for iOS, or the Microsoft Company portal for Android devices.Now it says:
The user gets redirected to the app store to install a broker app when trying to authenticate for the first time. The broker app can be the Microsoft Authenticator for iOS, or either the Microsoft Authenticator or Microsoft Company portal for Android devices.---
This article was changed on 7th Jul 2022:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/intune/end-user-mam-apps-androidBefore it says but not anymore:
The Intune Company Portal is required on the device to receive App Protection Policies for Android devices.---
This was changed on 7th July 2022:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/apps/app-protection-policy-settings-androidBefore it said:
The Intune Company Portal is required on the device to receive App Protection Policies for Android devices.Now it says:
Either the Intune Company Portal or the Microsoft Authenticator is required on the device to receive App Protection Policies for Android devices.
