This certainly was a common issue before the match exactly form update mode. But it's not one we've heard about much recently. If others are experiencing similar problems, it would be good to hear from you about your context and what you've observed.
When I've worked in contexts where getting form updates are critical, I've put a reminder to update at the start of the form. For example:
Please make sure that you have gone online and tapped the refresh button on Fill Blank Form today
You could add additional information based on the barriers that data collectors face in your specific context. Do they forget to go out of airplane mode? Do they forget to buy credits?
You could also make it even stronger by having the first question be "Have you gone online and refreshed your blank forms this week? Y/N" That way you have a written record of what the data collector believes they have done in case of discrepancies.
If you know what kinds of barriers your data collectors are facing, you could share those experiences here and that might give more ideas for suggestions.
I understand the desire to see what versions are on each device. As I said in Using DEVICE ID more extensively on the Central dashboard, I think it's likely to be an area we explore at some point. However, I'm not convinced it would be the best solution to the problems you're experiencing. I think it's important to fully understand what's going wrong and to explore form design and training options as well.
Does your form definitions have big attachments? Have you told them what version string they should expect? Have they told you which one they see? Have they described exactly what they do to update? Maybe there is a bug or maybe the UI is not clear enough.