Smartphones these days have become essential tools to help us complete important work tasks like checking email, editing documents, reviewing sales pipelines and approving deals and Android is arguably the most used platform in smartphones and tablets with over a billion people today carry Android smartphones.
However, smartphones and tablets are underutilized in the workplaces or for working professionals of companies and organizations. Google thus launched Android for Work program to tap into that potential. With a group of partners, Google is trying to help businesses bring more devices to work by securing, managing and innovating on the Android platform.
In June last year, Google has announced about its plan for Android for Work program at the I/O event and it took a little more than 7 months for tech giant to fully design the program and launch it today.
Smartphones supported by the new initiative will be able to keep an employee's work and personal apps separate, and a special Android for Work app will allow businesses to oversee key tools such as email, calendar and contacts.
Google said it is partnering with more than two dozen companies including Blackberry Ltd, Citrix Systems Inc, Box Inc.
Android for Work features four key technology components:
- Work profiles – We’ve built on the default encryption, enhanced SELinux security enforcement and multi-user support in Android 5.0, Lollipop to create a dedicated work profile that isolates and protects work data. IT can deploy approved work apps right alongside their users personal apps knowing their sensitive data remains secured. People can use their personal apps knowing their employer only manages work data and won’t erase or view their personal content.
- Android for Work app – For devices running Ice Cream Sandwich through Kitkat, or that don’t run work profiles natively, we’ve created the Android for Work app. The app, which delivers secure mail, calendar, contacts, documents, browsing and access to approved work apps, can be completely managed by IT.
- Google Play for Work – It allows businesses to securely deploy and manage apps across all users running Android for Work, simplifying the process of distributing apps to employees and ensures that IT approves every deployed app.
- Built-in productivity tools – For everyday business tasks, we’ve created a suite of business apps for email, contacts and calendar, which supports both Exchange and Notes and provides document editing capabilities for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.
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