How to make powerapps work only on target device Mobile or Internet browser (desktop) ?

[priyankbhat]

Hi,

I am looking for solution on locking or restricting use of my application on either Mobile device or any internet browser.

I have developed app which as per requirement should only work on mobile app. but when I add/share app to any user he get URL to his mailid. Unfortunately people are skip requirement and for ease of use are using this app directly on their desktop/laptop internet browser. I am looking for way on identifying from which device is user is logged. So if he is logged in from Internet browser using his laptop/desktop i can present error message.

Similarly we have developed exam tool using sharepoint and powerapps. During testing we found embeding powerapp on sharepoint page works fine. On this case since user has to complete examination in strict scenerio without screensharing or mobile screenshots. We would like to restrict user from using mobile phone to see this app.

Please suggest.

Thanks

Priyank 

[Rick72]

Hi @priyankbhat,

This is not possible at the moment. When you search the community, you will find similar questions/answers.

Rick

[priyankbhat]

Hi Rick,

Thanks for your reply.

I have refered to page https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Ideas/Get-Device-Info-in-PowerApps/idi-p/3173 

It seems between 2016 to mid of 2017. App.Device and App.Version is under review. Do we have any date by which this feature will be released.

This feature is most required.

Thanks

Priyank Bhat

[Rick72 · Accepted solution]

Hi @priyankbhat,

I am afraid I have no influence on the release calendar 😛

My guess it will not happen soon because after "Under review" comes "Planned" and then "Started" before "Completed".

Rick

[Boneckrh19]

For detection between phone and web, this thread is the most useful I've seen:

https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/General-Discussion/Detect-web-browser-users/td-p/76971

[AM0002]

If(IsBlank(Acceleration.X), "PC", "Mobile")  << I added this to a text box control and it seems to work, you could potentially add to the visibility property of a navigation button on an initial screen. 

[RusselThomas]

Just an update - data coming from the device telemetry like accelerometer seems to lag slightly as the app starts, so if you try detect the device type using something like IsBlank(Acceleration.X) on App start it may be initially blank at the time you detect it, resulting in a false negative.

There doesn't seem to be a set activation timeline, sometimes it's fast, sometimes it's slow - best way to achieve predictable results is to do run the test on a timer set to roughly 1 second after startup.  This has so far proven to be fairly reliable for me.

Interestingly enough, the desktop studio on my laptop resolves as a mobile device using this test - (news to me that my laptop has an accelerometer!) and it also allows for savedata and loaddata to be used, so I've at least got an easier way to test mobility functions on the desktop.  It also allows us to develop 'offline' capable apps for laptop devices in the field, as this was previously thought to only be the domain of mobile phones and tables - now, if we play them through the studio - wallah - offline mode!

Cheers,

RT

[AM0002]

Thanks for the additional information Russel. I hadn't considered testing on start up even though this would probably be the most relevent action to put it into, for most applications. Maybe this could time could be hidden within a nice splash screen to give it time to initialize. Unfortunetly I came accross PowerApps quite late and never got the chance to download the studio before it was depreciated what results do you get in the browser from the same laptop?

Can I propose we vote for this to become the new 'solution' so that people searching for a real workaround can find it easier. I'm not having a dig at anyone on this thread by that comment, I'm sure we all provide our best knowledge at the time.

[RusselThomas]

Hi @AM0002 

I think the deprecation related purely to the creating part - the PowerApps app is still available through the Windows store, except it's more of a player than a studio - hopefully this remains indefinitely because it's sudenly very useful 🙂

Kind regards,

RT

[kevinl1]

Acceleration.X stays blank on a mobile device until you move the device enough to get the Accelerometer to fire...