Apple iPhone 5, iOS 6: Mobile Device Management Will Be Ready
Apple iOS 6, an iPad and iPhone operating system upgrade, is set to arrive this fall. When it does, mobile device management (MDM) and managed services software companies will be ready. The goal: Make sure MSPs can continue to remotely manage tablets and smartphones as millions of consumers and businesses upgrade to Apple’s latest mobile operating system.
It’s a safe bet iOS 6 will also come bundled with iPhone 5, which is rumored to be launching this fall as well — though CEO Tim Cook has yet to confirm or discuss Apple’s alleged iPhone 5 plans. Apple is suffering an iPhone sales slowdown amid all the iPhone 5 rumors, with most pundits predicting a September 2012 launch — though there are rumors of a delay.
iOS 6 will support:
- iPhone 3GS and 4 (and I assuming the iPhone 5);
- iPod touch 4th generation; and
- iPad 2 and the new iPad (looks like original iPad owners will get left behind…).
iOS 6 Preparations
Many MDM and MSP software companies are making iOS 6 preparations now.
“As you might expect, we are planning to support iOS 6 when it comes out later this year,” said Peter Sandiford, CEO of Level Platforms. “We are also looking forward to supporting Windows 8 Phone and Surface tablets, Android 5 and Blackberry 10 when they come to market over roughly the same period. We also see the staged vendor convergence of desktop and mobile platforms as a unique opportunity for Level Platforms to deliver competitive advantage to MSPs. Exciting times.”
Meanwhile, Kaseya says it is “committed to supporting all new releases for the operating systems we support. This would include the new iOS 6.0 release,” according to a spokeswoman. “In some cases, we may need to either patch our current release or require the next release, but it ultimately will be supported. Our team has all of the relevant developer licenses for Apple, Microsoft, Android, etc.. so we have full access to the beta and controlled releases.”
MSPs should also keep a close eye on Continuum, GFI Software, LabTech Software and N-able Technologies (just to name a few). I believe GFI is close to making some MDM announcements, and N-able sounds like it will take its MDM software to general release in late 2011 or early 2012.
