Fleetsmith Extends Apple Device Management to iOS and tvOS Devices

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Fleetsmith, the provider of secure, automated Apple device management, today released support for iOS and tvOS, extending its Fleetsmith Intelligence and Fleetsmith Managed products to all Apple devices: Macs, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs. Fleetsmith Intelligence reduces business risk by giving companies insight into the health and security of their Apple devices. Fleetsmith Managed helps IT departments work more efficiently by automating critical, yet time-consuming, tasks like new employee device setup, OS updates, and security and compliance settings enforcement. Support for iOS and tvOS brings these benefits to iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs, an increasingly important segment of a modern business's fleet. Fleetsmith will be free for iOS and tvOS at launch, and all iOS and tvOS devices enrolled during the beta period will remain free after the beta period ends.

Admins can manage all Apple devices with Fleetsmith easily and at scale, thanks to integrations with identity providers G Suite and Office 365, as well as with Apple's Device Enrollment Program (commonly known as DEP; now part of Apple Business Manager and Apple School Manager). With these elements in place, admins can assign a device to an employee, automatically set up email, contacts, and calendars via G Suite, and ensure that all new devices are enrolled in management right out of the box. Once a device is managed, admins get real-time data about its current state, as well as the ability to remotely configure WiFi and VPN, enforce device lock and passcodes, automate OS updates, and wipe the device remotely if it is lost or stolen.

"As the demand for Apple devices used by businesses increases, so does the risk of a data breach or compliance problem. ESG recently discovered users consider smartphones (84 percent) and tablets (59 percent) critical or important to perform their primary job function. IT departments need to ensure software is up to date and security requirements are being met on these devices," says Mark Bowker, senior analyst in Enterprise Mobility, Identity and Mobile Security at Enterprise Strategy Group (ESG). "Fleetsmith's support for iOS and tvOS management helps IT professionals manage Apple devices in one place, helping to eliminate blind spots and reduce risk."

Initially popular as consumer devices, iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs are increasingly being used in corporate environments worldwide, due to a combination of employee demand, management familiarity, and general ease of use. According to research on mobility data, 82 percent of the work done on mobile devices happens on iOS. Mobile devices are also now being used as office infrastructure too, with iPads for front desk sign-in, Apple TVs for conference-room screen sharing, and a combination of iOS, tvOS, and macOS devices used for video conferencing. iOS and tvOS usage is also increasing in the hospitality, retail, and education spaces, where they are leveraged for hotel room televisions, Point of Sale devices, and to provide digital course materials to students in lieu of traditional textbooks. Fleetsmith's new release solves the growing problem of managing iOS and tvOS devices by giving admins a simple and free way to manage every Apple device in their fleet in a single place, without additional overhead.

"Today's IT managers have a harder job than they did even just a few years ago. Instead of looking after just a single type of laptop or workstation, now IT managers need to concern themselves with all Apple devices. We want to make this easy," says Zack Blum, CEO and co-founder at Fleetsmith. "By ensuring visibility and security for all Apple devices, Fleetsmith streamlines mobile device management, helping employees and IT teams automate tedious work, save time, and focus on their highest value tasks to be more productive."

Automated Device Intelligence, Device Enrollment, and Security—Now for All Apple Devices

• Device intelligence for all Apple devices in one system: Fleetsmith now provides the same kind of data about device health and security for iOS and tvOS devices that it currently does for Macs.
• Automatic device enrollment: iOS and tvOS will have the same kind of support for Apple's DEP as Fleetsmith for Mac. Combined with deep G Suite and Office 365 integrations and the ability to customize setup screens, Fleetsmith is the only MDM on the market that offers true one-click deployment for all Apple devices. Devices come straight from Apple or a certified reseller pre-managed and automatically configured out of the box with the proper settings and G Suite email, contacts, and calendars ready to go.
• OS updates and enforcement: Fleetsmith automates the crucial process of keeping iOS and tvOS devices updated with the newest OS version.
• Remote wipe: Admins will be able to remotely wipe an iOS or tvOS device from within Fleetsmith if it is lost or stolen.
• Security and device settings: Fleetsmith enables and enforces important security features such as device lock and passcode, VPN, and more.

About Fleetsmith
Fleetsmith automates device setup, fleet intelligence, app and OS updates, and security across a company's Apple device fleet. Founded by former IT and security leaders from Dropbox and Fandom, Fleetsmith combines world-class product and security engineering with a powerful, intuitive interface that makes advanced Apple device management available for everyone. Fleetsmith is based in San Francisco and backed by Index Ventures, Harrison Metal, and Upfront Ventures. Try it for free at fleetsmith.com.

SOURCE Fleetsmith

Related Links

http://www.fleetsmith.com