3 ways iOS 9.3 impacts the enterprise

During their March event, Apple released a significant update to its mobile operating system—iOS 9.3. While this update contained some great consumer features (Night Shift, Secure Notes, and a better News app) there were major updates to the mobile device management (MDM) framework. The MDM updates allow enterprise organizations to better manage iPad and iPhone, while at the same time offering an experience tailored to the needs of employees. To help you get the most out of this upgrade, here are three iOS 9.3 benefits that you should be aware of.

1. Strengthened security for a mobile workforce
You can’t navigate an airport in 2016 without bumping into a traveling sales rep. Tack on the explosion of iOS in the enterprise and now every corporate employee is walking around with a computer in their pocket. A computer that potentially contains corporate data that can be lost or stolen.

But, what does this mean for companies who want to ensure data protection while also giving their field sales or services teams the tools and devices they need to be productive? With the new Lost Mode feature of iOS 9.3, companies no longer need to worry when an iPhone or iPad used by their employees is left in a taxi or on a plane.

With Lost Mode, iOS devices can be locked and disabled from use. Location services are also enabled, allowing businesses to collect the last known location of the device. Instructions for how to return the device can be displayed on the lock screen, increasing the chances of the device’s return. This works similar to the “Find My iPhone” app already being used by millions of consumers. Traveling employees can breath easier if they lose a device, and companies can feel better about deploying iOS devices to more of their mobile workforce.

2. A better experience for employees
Employees at thriving companies are happy, empowered, and productive. But, as companies grow and global operations expand, the ability to empower a diverse workforce or delight a diverse customer base becomes more challenging.

The manager of a retail store may need access to analytics and inventory tools on a point-of-sale iPad, but they might not want to expose those tools to their part-time, teenage counterparts. Or the children’s wing of a hospital may want games and youth-focused apps to display for kids on an iPad, while doctor and nurse iPads should have secure apps to track patient history and health information.

iOS 9.3 opens up new paths to enable far greater customization and simplification of the iOS experience based on a user’s role. With home screen layout and the ability to restrict app usage, IT can define where apps are located on the home screen and dock, plus lock them into place. IT can also hide and disable any App Store app and even remove built-in apps like Weather or Stocks (however, Settings and Phone app can not be removed.)

By deploying iPads with only the necessary apps, laid out exactly how the organization wants it, solutions also become easier to deploy to individuals who are perhaps less tech savvy or those who may get distracted from the task at hand.

3. Be less distracted, more productive
It takes the average human 15 minutes to recover from workday interruptions such as new email alerts, social media notifications, and other banners. While iPhone or iPad app notifications are informative, they can also become distracting to employees, especially those working on creative or long-term projects that require focused productivity.

With iOS 9.3, not only can organizations restrict app notifications, they can do it on a per app basis—and restrict the end user from modifying these settings. A delivery service person can receive tracking and delivery update notifications from one app, but not social media updates from another. A server in a restaurant can see a banner alert when table five is ready to order, but not a text message from another service. The beauty of iOS 9.3 is that your business powers the end user experience in a way that best enables your operations and employees.

Unlock the power of iOS 9.3 with the Casper Suite
While iOS 9.3 brings great new features to commercial organizations, they need an MDM solution to enable this new functionality for end users. In the 2016 Casper Suite Spring Release, JAMF Software unlocks the power of iOS 9.3, while also significantly improving the process for deploying devices, applications, and content. Through improvements and simplification of Apple’s Volume Purchase Program (VPP), Device Enrollment Program (DEP), and Business-to-Business (B2B) support, coupled with our new JAMF Cloud Distribution Services, it has never been easier to empower a large, diverse mobile workforce. Click here to learn more.