Enhanced Android device simulation, smarter diagnostics, and OIDC-enforced authentication

The Anbox Cloud team has been working around the clock to release Anbox Cloud 1.28.0! We’re very proud of this release that adds robust authentication, improved diagnostic tools, and expanded simulation options, making Anbox Cloud even more secure, flexible, and developer-friendly for running large-scale Android workloads.

Let’s go over the most significant changes in this new version.

Strengthened authentication and authorization

Our OpenID Connect (OIDC)-based authentication and authorization framework is now stable with Anbox Cloud 1.28.0. This new framework provides a standardized approach for controlling access across web and command-line clients. Operators can now assign permissions through entitlements with fine-grained control, define authorization groups, and create and manage identities.

Configuring user permissions, understanding the idea of identities and groups, and looking through the entire list of available entitlements are all thoroughly covered in the new guides that come with this release. This represents a significant advancement in the direction of a more uniform and standards-based access model for all Anbox Cloud deployments.

Simulated SMS support

This is one of our most exciting new features: developers testing telephony-enabled applications in Anbox Cloud can now simulate incoming SMS messages using the Anbox runtime HTTP API. 

This new functionality allows messages to trigger notifications the same way they would on a physical device, generating more realistic end-to-end scenarios. A new how-to guide in our documentation provides detailed instructions on how to enable and use this feature.

Protection against accidental deletions

Because we know accidents happen (especially in production environments…), in order to reduce operational risk, this release introduces the ability to protect instances from accidental deletion. This option can be enabled directly in the dashboard either when creating a new instance or later from the Instance details page under the Security section. 

Once this protection option is turned on, the instance cannot be deleted, even during bulk delete operations, until the configuration is reset. This simple safeguard helps operators preserve important data and prevents costly mistakes in busy environments.

Improved ADB share management

Working with ADB (the Android Debug Bridge) has also become more flexible. Anbox Cloud now allows up to five ADB shares to be managed directly from the dashboard. For those who prefer the command line, the new amc connect command provides an alternative to the existing anbox-connect tool. Together, these improvements make it easier for developers to manage and maintain multiple debugging or testing sessions at once.

New diagnostic facility for troubleshooting

With version 1.28.0, we’re introducing a new diagnostic facility in the dashboard. This tool is designed to simplify troubleshooting for both the instances and the streaming sessions themselves. 

This feature helps collect relevant diagnostic data automatically, thereby reducing the work needed to identify and resolve issues. It also makes collaboration with our Canonical support teams more efficient, as users can now provide consistent and accurate diagnostic information in a structured, standard format.

Sensor support in the Streaming SDK

Here’s another hotly anticipated feature: the Anbox Streaming SDK gains expanded sensor support in this release. Our SDK now includes gyroscope, accelerometer and orientation sensors, allowing developers to test applications more interactively. 

Sensor support is disabled by default but can be easily enabled in the streaming client configuration. This addition opens up new possibilities for interactive use cases, such as gaming.

Upgrade now and stay tuned!

We think that Anbox Cloud 1.28.0 is our best release to date, and we are pleased to keep providing a feature-rich, scalable, and safe solution for managing Android workloads on a large scale. 

This latest version makes it easier than ever for developers and operators to create and test Android apps by introducing more precise device simulation, improved troubleshooting tools, and stricter access controls, as we’ve explained above.

Try it now and stay tuned for further developments in our upcoming releases. For detailed instructions on how to upgrade your existing deployment, please refer to the official documentation.

Further reading

Official documentation
Anbox Cloud Appliance
Learn more about Anbox Cloud or contact our team to discuss your use case

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Android is a trademark of Google LLC. Anbox Cloud uses assets available through the Android Open Source Project.