Tim Cook at WWDC21 on June 7, 2021.
Source: Apple
Apple on Thursday released a new program for businesses to set up, manage, and install software on employees’ iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
The product called Business Essentials ranges from $2.99/month to $24.99/month per worker. It allows bosses or system administrators to install corporate apps, set cryptographic policies, track or shut down lost phones or laptops, and provide access to cloud storage. At the more expensive tiers, users are given AppleCare credit so they can go to Apple stores for repairs.
Apple is continuing to offer more services including recurring billing subscriptions as they move away from device reliance. Services is a focus for Apple investors, who value the stability and predictability of recurring revenue, preferring it to the seasonality of hardware sales.
Apple’s services business grew 27% in 2021 to $68.4 billion as the company introduced subscriptions like Fitness+, which gave users access to a library of workout videos.
The new product is also a sign of Apple’s growing focus on sales of the company and products that help businesses navigate hybrid workplaces. So far, although Apple has sold to businesses, it has focused development and marketing on consumer products.
The appeal of the corporate market is clear: Google and Microsoft Make a lot of money selling tools and software to businesses and schools. However, Business Essentials is not a direct competitor to their products, as it manages Apple devices.
On Thursday, Apple said Business Essentials is integrated with Microsoft Azure and Google Workspace systems so employees can sign in to their devices using credentials managed by those companies.
The product is a competitor to Jamf and Kanji, make software called mobile device management that allows businesses to manage a group of computers and Apple phones. Apple says Business Essentials is aimed at smaller customers, mainly those without a dedicated IT department.
While the product doesn’t currently limit the number of users it supports, Apple says it’s designed for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
