WT6000

This is an AOSP/Non-GMS only device that is only available with L and N. We will not see another upgrade past N or a GMS option on the WT6000. You will need to manage this device with Android+ (Device Administrator) based management. MobiControl Stage is pre-installed in the L image which helps to simplify staging and enrollment out of the box. Android Enterprise App Catalog app deployment is not possible with this device due to the OS considerations but you can install APKs on the device via the Package process OR with a File Sync and a Post Install script with an MX AppMgr based installation. 

TC8000

This device is maxed out on Android L but is offered in both GMS or AOSP. You can flash a different firmware to convert from one to another if the device is under a maintenance contract with Zebra. If deploying TC8000s alongside WT6000s you may want to consider AOSP so that you can manage the devices consistently. Similar to the WT6000 the MobiStage app is pre-installed as a system app which can simplify staging. Android Enterprise based management didn't really come about until Android Marshmallow so even though a GMS option is available, true Managed Play via Android Enterprise isn't really an option. 

TC8300

The TC8300 is part of Zebra's next generation of "Helios" SD660 chipset based devices along with the MC9300, L10, VC8300, ET51/56, TC52/57, TC72/77, among others. These devices all ship with Android Oreo with GMS as the only real option as AOSP is only available for the China part numbers. AE is the ONLY management option available for the new Zebra devices because the SOTI DA agent is no longer being signed for those devices even though the DA management APIs are technically still available at the Android OS level in Oreo. The Helios devices will be getting an update to P soon and then eventually Q and given that Google is deprecating the DA API it makes sense to move those devices to AE anyway, even though its somewhat frustrating to be forced into it a little early. If you're deploying TC8000s alongside TC8300s you will need to prepare for having completely different staging and management configurations for those devices as you'll end up with a mix of DA and DO. Customers that have deployed TC8000s already should be aware of the fact that the TC8300 is not a simple drop in replacement to the TC8000 due to the changes in the Android management practices. Keep in mind all of this change is really being forced down by Google and SOTI and Zebra are just falling in line behind their direction. To answer your original question. You can use App Catalog to install Managed Play and Enterprise applications on these devices but you can also still install APKs on the devices directly without using the Play Store infrastructure by leveraging SOTI Packages. If you have an APK that is installed to a TC8000 or WT6000 via a Package you can use  the exact same Package with the TC8300 but you will need to use an Android Enterprise Profile instead of an Android+ profile. In Hybrid environments managing legacy DA devices and AEDO devices you'll end up with redundant packages.

ET55

The ET50/51 is part of the prior generation "Atlas" devices from Zebra along with the MC3000, VC80x, TC51/56, and TC70x. These devices kind of fell right in the middle of the transition to AEDO based on the OS versions that are available for them. Given that Marshmallow and Nougat are available you can use Android+ DA based management if you want to leave the devices on those OS versions. Otherwise you can also use AEDO if you have GMS M, N, OR Oreo installed as that is now available. I would imagine you're going to want to run with Oreo so that you can extend the lifecycle of the devices with the latest LifeGuard patches as Zebra is going to eventually stop those on Nougat if they haven't already. With that in mind you'll end up in the same boat as the Helios devices and will need to use AEDO on Oreo GMS. If enrolled with AEDO you'll be able to use App Catalog to installed apps from Managed Google Play and similar to the Helios devices you can also install Apks directly to the device via Packages if you have the Apk in your possession. 

Any of the Zebra M+ GMS devices can be managed with AEDO and can be enrolled with the native DO enrollment methods that are supported for that OS dessert flavor (eg. NFC, QR, DPC identifier, ZTE). Zebra ALSO supports StageNow based DO enrollment which I would recommend as it requires very minimal device interactions outside of a couple of scans and it leaves all of the Zebra system apps enabled after enrollment. If you enroll with afw#mobicontrol you'll have to otherwise use the enable_system_app script to enable all of the apps like DataWedge and License Manager that get disabled by the AEDO enrollment process. Thankfully SOTI at least provides this mechanism as I know a number of EMM providers do not, but it is still somewhat frustrating to have to contend with and it is easy to miss system apps until you notice that some behavior is missing. 

See this recent post for an example of this issue:

https://discussions.soti.net/thread/bluetooth-not-working-when-in-managed-device-mode/

Thank you Matt for the extensive clarification. 

It confirms what I thought, except for the ET55. 

We require both 8" and 10" Android tablets. Currently ET56 only available as Windows tablet.  
For what info I received from our Zebra representative, only 1(8"?) of the 2 sizes will become available with Android.


Our way to go:

• WT6000 : Android+ (Device Admin)
  No upgrade or replacement available.
  
  
• Replace TC8000 by TC8300 : Android Enterprise (Device owner)
  
  
• ET55 8" and 10" : Android Enterprise (Device owner) on Android M enrolled by DPC identifier.
  And test if I have enough functionality. 

Update, just did the tests on the ET55

OS : GMS Marshmallow (03-21-20-MG-1R-M1-U00-STD)

Enrollled as Android Enterprise Device Owner manually with DPC identifier afw#mobicontrol

Functions tested:

• Remote Control (works perfectly with the Device Plugin) 
  
  
• App Catalog (Automatically install Private apps + Store apps)
  
  
• Lockdown (With Activity Suppression method. Other method not tested.)
  
  
• General device config, provisioned with StageNow .xml config file in Package. 
  
  

Woohoo, we're safe for a while. 

Awesome! Since you're still opting to go with the DPC identifier for enrollment instead of the StageNow route that I recommended you're going to likely need to leverage the enable_system_app script to re-enable all of the core system apps that get disabled by default during an AEDO enrollment. You can compare the list of apps on an un-enrolled ET55 to an enrolled ET55 to see what I mean. 

Hi Matt, I was looking for a way to do so, but I can't find another way to enroll as DO on M.

From OOB, it is not possible to read NFC nor Barcode on M.

Creating a StageNow profile with the "Enroll in an MDM" wizard, it only got enrolled as DA

I'm probably missing something. Expert mode, ... ?
Would you be so kink to explain me how?

Zebra tries to be crafty in the StageNow wizard by prompting you for N and above or M and below. What this really should read is Android Enterprise or Device Administrator because that is the distinction that you're making. When you choose M and below from the prompt in the Wizard it will default to Device Administrator. Naturally, since your device is running M you chose the option for M and below and got DA based enrollment. If you choose N and above however it will leverage AEDO for enrollment. I haven't actually verified this on an Android M device but given that Android M supports the DO API I would be willing to bet that you could enroll on AEDO with an M device using the N and above option. 

Hi Matt, I just finished testing. 
Sadly I have to confirm, that it is not possible on M.

Created the config like you mentioned (Android N and above)

Factory resetting the device, plus ...

• Try to enrol with NFC tag : Tag not accepted at "Android Welcome Screen" 
  
  
• Try with barcode (Including ByPass GMS code) : Not accepted with BC scanner, and camera not possible. 
• Using DPC identifier and manual install : Success as DO

Factory reset + walk thru OOB wizard manually +  StageNow Client +

• Same NFC Tag : Device get enrolled as Device Admin 
  
  
• StageNow Barcode : Same result. DA.

Conclusion : Enrolling Zebra ET55 as Android Enterprise Device Owner on Android M is possible, by enrolling with DPC identifier awf#mobicontrol


I wonder what will happen, when I create 1 StageNow profile that, Factory Resets, Set WIFI and Enroll into SOTI.

Concerning the enable_system_app script.

Trying different ways but nothing really happens.


Update : Never mind found the script in the documentation.

Example

To add Google Chrome to the Android Enterprise container:

enable_system_app com.android.chrome

So that fixes the majority of my problems.