Apple @ Work: Ought to companies undertake third-party iOS app shops when accessible?

Apple @ Work is solely dropped at you by Mosyle, the one Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the one resolution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all of the options essential to seamlessly and mechanically deploy, handle & defend Apple units at work. Over 45,000 organizations belief Mosyle to make hundreds of thousands of Apple units work-ready with no effort and at an inexpensive price. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL at the moment and perceive why Mosyle is the whole lot it’s worthwhile to work with Apple.

One of many information tales that has dominated the 2024 information cycle is Apple, the EU, and third-party app shops. We not too long ago printed a hands-on with Setapp Cellular, and it’s a pattern that I see transferring to the remainder of the world within the coming years. How will companies reply?

About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT community from 2009 to 2021. By his expertise deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a cell machine administration system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will spotlight methods wherein Apple IT managers deploy Apple units, construct networks to assist them, practice customers, tales from the trenches of IT administration, and methods Apple may enhance its merchandise for IT departments.

Why the App Retailer mannequin is smart for enterprise prospects

For companies utilizing iPhones and iPads, the App Retailer has been unbelievable. Many app builders complain about in-app purchases and the replace mannequin not being relevant to companies. Most companies are shopping for their app licenses as a SaaS mannequin. The amount buy program has by no means supported in-app purchases, so it’s not been a consideration both. If a enterprise goes to buy an app license, they’re going to contact the developer immediately, pay immediately, after which tie it to their id supplier or manually create logins.

Even when in-app purchases got here to the quantity buy program, it could be a logistical nightmare for deployment and administration. It’s not scalable for enterprise deployments, and it’s not how companies purchase software program.

From a safety perspective, it’s one other layer of safety for organizations deploying apps. They’ll load iOS apps in self-service which might be vetted by the group, however exterior of that, the App Retailer is a reliable expertise for companies. Sure, rogue apps sometimes make it by App Evaluate, however for probably the most half, I belief the App Retailer as a spot to search out apps.

It’s additionally a seamless deployment expertise as the whole lot with quantity licensing and app project to units is tied in along with your machine administration vendor and Apple Enterprise Supervisor.

Safety considerations about third-party app shops

My huge concern with third-party app shops is that companies have one more assault vector for rogue apps on a tool. App Evaluate isn’t good, however we all know that Apple is targeted on making the App Retailer the most secure place to get apps because it helps them promote units.

If I have been an Apple IT supervisor, I’d take a look at third-party app shops and see a variety of danger and little return on funding. Would app updates come quicker? Presumably, however at what danger? Who’s reviewed the code? Will it crash a tool with a foul replace? Why do I want a third-party app retailer? How will I deploy it to all my units? These are only a few of the questions I’ve come throughout up to now. Apple hasn’t detailed how companies would possibly work together with third-party app shops on managed iPads and iPhones, however I think we are going to find yourself with a path ahead on deployment. I additionally suspect there might be coverage choices to disable them as effectively so workers can not aspect load their very own apps, and so on.

Wrap up

To sum up my ideas right here, third-party app shops are an fascinating mannequin for customers, and I don’t have the choice to have selection on pay for apps, however for enterprise prospects, till one thing adjustments, Apple’s App Retailer is the most secure option to deploy apps for iPhone and iPad. Even when Apple builds out a mechanism for managed/supervised units to make use of third-party app shops, I see little motive for companies to think about it.

Apple @ Work is solely dropped at you by Mosyle, the one Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the one resolution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all of the options essential to seamlessly and mechanically deploy, handle & defend Apple units at work. Over 45,000 organizations belief Mosyle to make hundreds of thousands of Apple units work-ready with no effort and at an inexpensive price. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL at the moment and perceive why Mosyle is the whole lot it’s worthwhile to work with Apple.