Google announced Android for Work yesterday, its take on the enterprise mobility market. It brings together mobile device management and security standards into a single platform – the most notable feature being the ability to separate workplace data and applications from personal.
As the burgeoning BYOD revolution has been picking up pace, Android has notably lagged behind iOS in workplace adoption and the new release seeks to redress the balance. Below are some thoughts from Google’s partners.
1. Blackberry
Billy Ho, BlackBerry Enterprise Products and Value Added Solutions EVP:
"BlackBerry is working with Google to provide customers with solutions they can confidently deploy on all major mobile platforms within their organisation.
"Android for Work with BES12 will provide customers with another option to enhance their mobile security and the productivity of their employees, and the peace of mind that they will not have to relinquish any control over corporate data, sacrifice user experience or introduce more complexity into their environments."
2. AirWatch by VMware
Erik Frieberg, vice president, End- User Computing, VMware:
"Android for Work will provide our customers with a single solution for management across the diverse Android ecosystem.
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"The benefits of Android for Work will enable AirWatch to deliver an even more extensive mobility solution for the management of all devices from a single pane of glass. AirWatch is committed to being device and operating system agnostic to deliver the latest innovations across the mobile landscape to our customers as soon as they are available."
3. SAP
Dirk Boessmann, senior vice president, Mobile Development, SAP:
"Companies have experienced a surge of employees and business partners bringing Android devices into the workplace. For several years, SAP has been a leader in developing and deploying Android-based enterprise apps. However, Google Android for Work is a game changer.
"SAP and Google have worked together to offer customers a simple and consistent way to manage and secure the Android experience, regardless of OS version.
"They can also take advantage of the innovations in application development and distribution designed specifically for Android for Work. The leading SAP apps will be ready for installation within Android for Work."
4. SOTI
SOTI CEO Carl Rodrigues:
"We are excited to join the Google’s Android for Work program to address enterprise concerns about supporting Android devices in their mobility strategies.
"Android for Work is a mobility game-changer for Android, and creates a level playing field for devices of all types in the enterprise.
"SOTI MobiControl and Android for Work eliminates the most significant hurdles to adoption of Android in the enterprise, including fragmentation and the lack of a secure method to manage enterprise applications and content on Android devices."
6. Citrix
Brian Dye, Group Vice President and General Manager, Mobile Platforms group, Citrix:
"With complementary visions and strategies, Citrix and Google are collaborating on a number of initiatives in mobility, app virtualization and cloud to deliver a comprehensive best in class secure mobile workspace solution that offers customers the most seamless, business-ready experience on Android and Chrome devices over any network."
