iOS7 in the Enterprise: Security and IT Factor

Apple’s release of its last three iterations of the iPhone (5, 5c, and 5s) was recently complemented with a quantum leap in operating systems with iOS7. While consumers mostly see a cosmetic change in this update, enterprise-users have been greeted with several breakthrough technologies. As per Apple’s own iOS7 business page:

“iOS 7 provides enhanced security, powerful new ways to configure and deploy devices at scale, and features to help businesses purchase, distribute, and manage apps with ease. Features including per app VPN, enterprise single sign on, App Store license management, and new mobile device management (MDM) configuration options are just some of the new capabilities in iOS 7 that provide more for organizations of all sizes.”

As with most Apple releases, the frenzy of announcement and release-days is now a part of the holistic Apple experience. And now that the iOS 7-release-fanfare has subsided, how is this mobile operating system actually working in the field for businesses large and small?

Get to Work Securely

Apple’s latest iteration of its mobile OS comes prepackaged with a suite of enterprise-ready software. The genius of the latest version of work-ready features is on account of iPhones sneaking their way into boardrooms and cubicles since the phone’s release in 2006; Apple has wisely tracked and noted this user behavior and now delivers a phone that is work-ready.

Device security is priority-one on iOS7. Regardless if an employee has an exemplary track record; all people lose their phones at one point or another. The convenient size of phones lends themselves to getting lost along with all of their data, but with iOS7’s ability to support app-specific security like VPN-per-app, Apple’s OS allows companies to distribute and lock-down apps at will internally. Along with VPN, single-sign-on settings will allow users to access an enterprise’s suite of apps with one password log-in. And on the horizon, Apple is promising employee-specific app-licensing that can be given or withdrawn depending on employment status.

IT Favors Apple

There is a general ground-swell of  IT and developer favor towards Apple’s mobile operating system, especially in terms of stability, security and minimal fragmentation. iOS7’s majority IT confidence has been exhibited as far back as to the second quarter of 2012, over a year before the latest iOS was even announced. According to an Appcelerator and IDC survey:

“The most significant finding in the 2Q 2012 Mobile Developer Survey is Apple opening a dramatic 16 percent lead over Google’s Android when it comes to which operating system will win in the enterprise marketplace, with 53.2% saying iOS will win vs. 37.3% saying that Android will win.”

Apple may or may not be the best choice for your company and that’s fine. But in a world where there is a high-volume of mobile device choices (and consequently mobile security concerns), you can count on mindWireless to guide you to what will be in your company’s best interest. Use mindWireless’ two decades of enterprise mobility experience to get your employees to work.