- Managed Apple accounts that separate private employee data from company information through integration with an identity service provider.
- The ability to configure employees and/or employee groups.
- Tools to manage device settings and security.
- Tools to manage and deploy apps and settings using Blueprints and the App Store.
- Zero-touch deployment of new hardware.
Apple’s APIs offering access to device, user, audit, and MDM service data are also now available to businesses seeking even more control — particularly for larger deployments. For many smaller enterprises, what matters most is that the basic MDM features are now free, rather than requiring a subscription as before. The company offers 5GB storage for employee accounts, with higher amounts starting at 99 cents per person.
The company also announced that AppleCare+ for Business coverage is available per device or per user, starting at $6.99 per month, or $13.99 per month per user for up to three devices. When this was first introduced in 2022, it offered 24/7 access to phone support, training for both IT admins and employees, and up to two device repairs per plan — by individual, group, or device — each year. (I’m not clear yet on whether that component of the service offers as much.)
Competing with Google Workspace and M365?
What Apple now has on offer means it is putting together a viable competitor for existing productivity suites. Not only has it made it possible to use custom domains for email, and to populate your online presence with pro-seeming details such as logos that appear in outbound emails, but it also supports Apple Business with free apps such as Pages or Keynote. And it now provides fully integrated email, calendar, and directory services.
