How to Know if a Device Can Be Managed Through Android's DLC Platform
For a device to be remotely controllable via Google's Device Lock Control (DLC) app, four conditions must be satisfied:
- Google Approval: Your organization must have been approved by Google.
- Device Approval: The specific device brand and model must have been approved by Google for your specific use.
- DLC App Preloading: The manufacturer must have preloaded Google's DLC (hidden) app on the device.
- Registration Timeline: The device must be registered no less than 90 days after its first internet connection. A factory reset will not restart this 90-day period.
Steps 1 and 2 are one-time processes that DeviceOneApi can assist you with.
DLC App Preloading
The best way to establish whether or not DLC has been preloaded/installed on a particular device is to ask to the OEM directly. This installation is part of the device's build and only the OEM know for sure.
Another reliable method to establish DLC preloading is to check the device's build number. Because devices with the same build number share identical specifications, if one device with build number XXX is confirmed to have DLC preloaded, all devices with that build number will as well.
On the other hand, the same extrapolation cannot be made using the TAC. Two devices sharing the same TAC can have different software specs and hence one can have the DLC app preloaded (and be controllable through Android) and one can not have it. The TAC is the first 8 digits of a device's 15-digit IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number. It identifies the device model and manufacturer, and is often used by manufacturers to track production batches or target specific geographies.
However, the TAC does not provide information about the software or specific hardware configuration. Because devices from the same manufacturer and model can share the same TAC but have different build numbers (and thus different software configurations), the TAC alone is not sufficient to confirm DLC preloading.