Apple Business Essentials subscriptions are compatible with small businesses using only Apple

This week Apple introduced another beta program, but instead of offering software previews for your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, it's a new initiative called Business Essentials. In line with Apple's recent shift to selling services, it is a subscription package aimed at small businesses with three different plans and a move that was anticipated since it acquired the Fleetsmith device management platform just over a year ago.

Starting at $ 2.99 per device per month, they can cover employees on a single device, more than one device, or a more expensive plan that covers multiple devices and adds more cloud storage. An AppleCare + package will be available when fully released in spring 2022, adding 24/7 phone support, access to training, and on-site repairs by Apple-trained technicians.

Like many other device management platforms, it streamlines the onboarding process, pre-installed apps, as well as managing security settings like FileVault for disk encryption and Activation Lock to protect devices in the event of loss or Stole. There's also a new Business Essentials app for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS that puts all your settings in one place.

I spoke with Vox Media Senior Vice President of IT, Oumar Sall, who notes that it could be beneficial for startups during periods of high growth. In particular, by dealing with more remote workers, you can help get new hires up and running as quickly as possible, even if a company doesn't have the other parts of its network fully formed yet. It could also be useful for schools if Apple's existing School Manager system is not suitable.

It also has the advantage of being available from Apple itself. However, it is unlikely to challenge the mainstays of the industry as, at least so far, it is limited by the number of employees supported and not available on different platforms. There is also the question of how data export works if a business wants to leave iCloud, endpoint security management, and other issues that may arise later on.

Jamf is one such company, providing device management to various organizations, including Vox Media. In an earnings call on Friday after Apple's announcement, CEO Dean Hager said he hopes the service will help improve Apple's built-in management tools that Jamf also relies on, without directly competing with many of the features it offers. Jamf. If Business Essentials helps drive adoption among small businesses or startups, it gives them a foundation to buy even more Apple devices and services as they grow, even if they eventually move to more local support or another provider.