Android OS is one of the most popular mobile operating systems in the world among consumers, but Google’s ambitions go beyond the consumer market and pass into enterprise. Google’s solution for enterprise, dubbed “Android for Work”, was unveiled in February 2015, and by November 2015, Android for Work was present in over 19,000 businesses. More recently, however, Google discussed how it will move forward in enterprise and confirmed that – in a quest to simplify the ecosystem – terms such as “Android for Work” and “Google Play for Work” will no longer use the suffix “for Work”. Even more recently, Google launched a new webpage for Android enterprise, and published a video on YouTube showcasing how Android OS could be used by a variety of businesses.
Google’s Android enterprise landing page focuses on three main benefits of using the Android operating system in the business field. Firstly, the company highlights “Mobile first security”, specifically how Android OS can help organizations “confidently deploy devices for everyone, with multilayered protection, robust app security, and secure separation of business and personal data.” The next highlight of using Android OS in enterprise is “Collective intelligence”. Google’s AI (artificial intelligence) division made tremendous progress earlier this year when the company’s DeepMind AlphaGo computer beat Lee Sedol in an epic series of Go matches, and with the latest Pixel smartphone lineup Google also pushed the limits of its mobile personal assistant even further. According to the enterprise page, “Android incorporates the best of Google, from machine learning for malware detection and cloud security to artificial intelligence for smart, contextual assistance.” Last but not least, one of the biggest advantages of using Android OS for enterprise is “Tailored solutions”. In other words, Android OS is a very flexible operating system and can be “tailored to your business goals with a diverse, open platform and a powerful ecosystem of partners, devices and software.” This means that businesses can run their own, custom apps on the Android platform, either on regular or custom hardware.
Google also highlights the benefits of Android OS in enterprise in a new presentation video dubbed “Powering the world’s work devices”. It showcases different types of hardware including smartphones and tablets taking advantage of the Android platform in the business environment, whether it’s a production line, a retail business, or a medical office.