Apple @ Work: Why Apple Business Essentials isn’t a direct competitor to other MDM vendors

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Apple Business Essentials is an important product for Apple. I’ve talked to many companies who manage Macs and iPads, and they’re not interested in the service. It’s a positive thing. Apple isn’t looking to control 100% of the device management market. Companies like Kandji, Jamf, Mosyle, JumpCloud, and Addigy do a great job of enabling Apple to work great in the enterprise. Other MDM vendors are not the enemy of Apple Business Essentials. It’s unmanaged devices.

About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a mobile device management system, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi, hundreds of Macs, and hundreds of iPads, Bradley will highlight ways in which Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.

When Apple purchased Fleetsmith, I think the first reaction in the Mac admin community was somewhat adverse. Apple did make a mistake in removing the App Catalog feature immediately. Apple Business Essentials is a tool that will help small businesses get the best out of their iPad, iPhone and iPad. From the ease of purchasing in a customized business store to zero-touch onboarding to easily keeping devices secure day to day, Apple wants a business as small as two people to as large as 500 to have a great experience with Mac devices. Apple Business Essentials subscriptions are great, but Apple also loves selling iPhones, iPads and Macs.

What happens if a company outgrows Apple Business Essentials?

If a company grows from 300 people to 1,000 and outgrows Apple Business Essentials, that’s not bad for Apple because they just sold 700 MacBook Airs to that company.

The feature of Apple Business Essentials is aimed at helping small businesses without a Mac expert continue to have a great experience. As a company grows, bringing some of that expertise in-house might make sense, and the company could go with a more fully-featured MDM product. The design of Apple Business Manager is so that a company can easily connect a new MDM server to their account and re-enroll all of their devices into the new MDM. The existing licenses for all applications will be quickly made available. Apple created its platforms so that customers would not be tied to any one vendor, even Apple itself.

The enemy is unmanaged devices

As I said initially, Apple’s goal with Apple Business Essentials isn’t to take over the MDM market. Apple is happy with a thriving MDM marketplace. Different vendors offer different focus and integrations. Enterprise customers like options and want to avoid being locked in to a vendor. Apple created Apple Business Essentials in order to help customers get off the ground zero with managed devices. It also helps them on their way to better Mac management.

Apple wants its business customers to be able to enjoy a superior experience in all aspects of Mac purchasing. Apple is the winner, whether that’s through Apple Business Essentials (or another MDM vendor).