“Android Enterprise as a solution is still evolving and some of the updates being rolled out today change the management and user experience”
The team at Mobile Mentor have completed many Android Enterprise implementations in the last year and a half. We are the only Android Enterprise Recommended Service Provider in New Zealand, one of two in Australia and 14 worldwide so have been driving the charge to get our customers ready to be able to manage and secure Android devices running OS 10 and 11.
The consistent feedback we have received from our customers during these projects is that Android Enterprise changes the employee experience on the device considerably and this change needs to be managed and communicated.
It doesn’t help that Android Enterprise as a solution is still evolving and some of the updates being rolled out today change the management and user experience even further.
What’s changed with Android 11?
You may have heard the term COPE – Corporately Owned, Personally Enabled. This build allows your company to control and manage your company owned devices while also allowing your employees to have their personal apps, photos and data on the device separately from work apps and data.
This concept has morphed with Android 11 and company owned devices that are personally enabled offer more privacy to the employee and fewer device controls for the MDM administrator.
There are now three main options for deploying Android Enterprise to employees.
BYOD
BYOD devices will have a Work Profile installed on the device – this Work Profile is a secure container where company data and apps will be published and accessible. Management of the device itself is not be possible.
BYOD devices are enrolled into Android Enterprise using an MDM agent from the public Google Play store.
Personally Enabled Company Owned
Personally enabled company owned devices will have a Work Profile to secure company apps and data; however, there will be slightly more device-side policies available for management of the device.
Personally enabled company owned devices can be enrolled via an MDM agent or via Google Zero Touch or Samsung KNOX Mobile Enrolment to streamline the onboarding experience.
Work Only
Work only devices will only have company apps and data published and accessible – no personal apps or accounts can be added to a Work only device.
We recommend using Google Zero Touch or Samsung KNOX Mobile Enrolment to streamline the onboarding of company owned devices.
The User Experience of Work Profile versus Work Only
To help understand the differences between an Android device with a Work Profile and a device that’s set up for Work Only we have put together two brief videos showing the user experience on the device.
Android Enterprise Personally Enabled User Experience
ANDRIOD ENTERPRISE WORK ONLY USER EXPERIENCE
Conclusion
These new options and capabilities provide for a better balance or employee privacy and corporate security. If you are interested in managing Android devices or leveraging employees’ personal devices in your business, contact us or see our BYOD 365 service.
