MobileIron Delivers New App Storefront and Security for the Next Generation of Mobile Enterprise Applications

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- MobileIron (www.mobileiron.com), the innovator in mobile device management and security, today announced release 4.0 of its Virtual Smartphone Platform (VSP). MobileIron 4.0 features MobileIron's App Management and Security which allows enterprise IT groups to centralize the discovery, deployment and security of internally- and externally-developed apps for all iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian devices in the company.  MobileIron delivers an Enterprise App Storefront combined with a fully customizable API and policy engine that ensures secure apps get to employees and that rogue apps are kept out – for both corporate-owned and employee-owned smartphones.

"2011 is going to be the year of the mobile enterprise app," said Bob Tinker, CEO, MobileIron. "Our customers are experiencing a storm of mobile enterprise applications we call the 'Enterprise App Storm.'  Departments, business groups, and even individual employees are taking it upon themselves to create innovative apps that solve specific business problems, improve how work is done, or just make their lives easier. Development is decentralized and, many times, IT isn't even aware of what is being built. In order to navigate this enterprise app storm, our customers want to harness mobile innovation and, with this release, we're giving them the most complete platform to do so with comfort."

From the early days of the company, MobileIron realized that where there were enterprise smartphones and pad computers, there would eventually be enterprise apps, and that companies would need a way to manage and secure them. In December 2009, MobileIron was the first company to deliver an enterprise app management framework for IT to help end-users discover which mobile apps they needed. In 2010, enterprise app development has started to become a business reality as a result of the introduction of iOS4 and its enterprise APIs, and the rapid adoption of iPhone, iPad, and Android devices by business users. Now, to meet this growing demand for app management and security, MobileIron 4.0 provides new functionality across three key areas:

• Enterprise App Storefront:  The expanded storefront is the first solution to let businesses deliver in-house iPhone and iPad apps to their employees without posting them publicly. The app storefront lets IT consolidate app discovery and delivery for in-house as well as externally-developed third-party apps. IT approves the in-house app, sets policy boundaries based upon the user's role and mobile platform, and then publishes the app for end-users to download over the air. By launching the MobileIron app on their phone, the end-user sees when featured apps (e.g., ones that IT or the line-of-business feels are critical to install) are available and when there are new updates.
• Security and Rogue App Protection: IT can decide which apps to allow in and which apps to keep out. With the proliferation of consumer apps on corporate iOS and Android devices, IT needs to be able to block rogue apps that might create security holes or break acceptable-use policies. IT can now categorically deny email access to any device with a password spoofing app, or alert the user when they download an app that violates policy and guide them through remediation. IT can also create policies based on device posture, for example, apps that require security will not be published to a device that is not properly encrypted.
• API: The MobileIron Mobility API now enables the delivery of cross-platform application information so other corporate services can know what apps are on what devices. For example, a company can use the MobileIron API to track its mobile app license inventory to make sure that it is using the number of licenses in its contract. Another example is a system that needs to understand the full inventory of what is on a given device, e.g., a helpdesk system can know what else is on the system when it is troubleshooting a performance issue.

"Mobilizing your workforce is no longer just about delivering email to a phone," said Eric Goodness, Research VP at Gartner, Inc. "Gartner research shows mobile devices are driving explosive end-user interest in apps. As a result, many of our end-user and vendor clients are formulating their strategies for what apps to build, how to get employees to find and use them, and how to protect against external apps that might pose security risks."

For more information visit www.mobileiron.com. A demo video is available at http://www.youtube.com/user/mobileiron?feature=mhsn#p/a.  

About MobileIron

A Gartner Cool Vendor for 2010, MobileIron is solving the problems CIOs face as business data and applications move to smart devices. The MobileIron Virtual Smartphone Platform is the first solution to give IT and users real-time intelligence and control over mobile content, activity, and apps in order to secure the enterprise, reduce wireless cost, and improve the mobile user experience. MobileIron's investors include Foundation Capital, Norwest Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital, and Storm Ventures. For more information, please visit www.mobileiron.com.

SOURCE MobileIron