Google announced today its addition of several BYOD management features to Android devices:
- Selective wipe - Remove Google Apps account data without wiping a user’s entire device.
- SD card wipe - During a full device wipe, wipe SD cards in addition to the internal memory.
- Device Policy app - Ensure that security policies are enforced across all devices by requiring the latest version of the Device Policy app.
- Wi-Fi configuration - Enter wi-fi settings in the Admin console once -- and they'll be automatically pushed out to all managed Android devices.
So, does this mean the end for today's leading MDM vendors (e.g. AirWatch, MobileIron, Good Technologies, SAP)? No - clearly these features are limited to Android devices, and many enterprises will require more sophistcated management features.
So what does this announcement mean? Well for one, we can expect a continued push by Google into the B2B market - leading, it seems, with solutions simplifying management for small and medium businesses. For SMBs that have yet to develop sophisticated BYOD management policies, this is an attractive option. Further, this announcement puts another check into the Android box for enterprises that are looking to see how Android and iOS stack up in terms of meeting enterprise requirements.
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