Mobile device and application usage has skyrocketed over the past five years, along with mobile devices making their way into corporate settings. A recent survey estimates that the number of mobile devices used worldwide will hit nearly 15 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach 18.22 billion by 2025. This shows how mobile devices have replaced bulky computers and outdated systems and become the all-in-one device for personal and professional work.
Android mobile devices are preferred the most, and rightly so. Not only because of their ease of use, but also because of their competitive prices and availability in different price ranges. In the enterprise space, Android devices such as smartphones, tablets, mPOS, and RFID readers are widely used to enable collaboration, streamline day-to-day operations, and provide access to enterprise data, especially for field workers and mobile workers.
Android devices for modern businesses
Modern businesses use either company-owned or employee-owned devices in various business scenarios. In many industrial use cases, employees use high-end devices for work or use custom Android devices that simply eliminate the need for multiple devices.
The preference for Android devices lies in the versatility of these devices, not to mention the open-source operating system that makes it easy for app developers to create enterprise applications with minimal restrictions or guidelines. Android is the world’s leading operating system, accounting for almost 71% of the market share. It is the most widely used operating system and supports all types of devices like smartphones, tablets, POS systems, rugged devices and custom devices. Android kiosk devices can be used as standalone, unattended devices for dedicated purposes. Android devices are known for their flexibility, allowing for easy customization to match company branding. Company-related apps and functions can be easily configured into the devices to make them business-ready.
But the question of data security and management of devices used in the corporate environment remains. That’s why Android device management is critical, not only for companies that are mass-provisioning Android devices for their field and frontline workers, but also for companies of all sizes that are BYO Android devices work where the devices are only used to check work email.
With the growing use of mobile devices for work, Google introduced Android Enterprise (formerly known as Android for Work) to solve everyday business problems related to device management, application usage, and data security.
Coupled with an MDM, Android for Work enables IT teams to remotely manage and secure business-specific profiles and applications on both company-owned and employee-owned devices. It helps improve overall device management capabilities and promotes enterprise security.
Mobile Device Management (MDM) protects all devices from data theft, loss or misuse of corporate data throughout the device lifecycle. The Android Enterprise setup utility unifies Android device management with built-in APIs for mobile device management. An MDM solution also enables IT administrators to easily enroll, provision, manage, and secure devices.
And while a standalone MDM is great, for modern Android device management, an MDM that aligns with Android Enterprise is a must.
Entry into modern Android device management
Faster Deployment
For modern companies, things have to happen quickly. The combination of Android for Work and a modern MDM setup helps with bulk enrollment of Android devices. Devices can be preconfigured with company policies and work-related apps and provisioned to employees before they are shipped to the end user, making device provisioning ready to go.
Increased security with automatic alerts
With the ease of use of Android devices and the flexibility that the platform offers come vulnerabilities. Without security software, Android devices and the corporate data on them are very vulnerable to security risks. Enterprise data is vulnerable to leaks and threats at the device and app level.
The challenge for modern businesses is to mitigate these threats, fix them with preemptive updates, and protect all devices from misuse. This can be driven by deploying an Android MDM solution that allows IT teams to get a bird’s-eye view of the device fleet. But there is always room for human error and oversight. However, modern Android device management can minimize these by automating regular security scans, scheduled compliance alerts, and fast, automated reports when anomalies in device and data security are detected.
Adaptation to BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
BYOD helps employees use work-related apps on their personal devices so they don’t miss work anytime, anywhere. In the age of “remote everything,” it is critical for businesses to address the need for BYOD. Modern Android device management empowers organizations to facilitate this. The containerization feature creates a working container that separates corporate data from personal data and prevents the IT admin from accessing it. This brings flexibility in how devices are used, saves the company the expense of purchasing new devices, and keeps productive employees using the devices they love.
Close lines…
Modern businesses have a strong focus on achieving high ROI by improving productivity and flexibility and making corporate data securely available. As the modern workforce becomes more mobile, adopting Android Device Management is a must to manage and secure devices. Implementing modern Android device management to manage devices can help achieve business goals in less time and at the lowest possible cost.
