The first hint of Android’s new mobile operating system “Android 8.0 Oreo” was brought to us in March of this year, and was finally unveiled in August as the competitor for Apple’s OS iOS 11. However, far from simply promoting the consumer aspects and perks of the new operating system and waxing lyrical about new ‘in-picture’ modes, smart text selections and redesigned emojis’ Google has also declared that the Android Oreo is a smart, tough and productive cookie for enterprises.
To borrow a phrase from a Google Enterprise blog I read, “The new Android 8.0 Oreo brings a sweet combination of improved productivity and enhanced security to enterprise customers, building on the consistent investments we’ve made to make Android stronger, easier to manage, and more productive for the enterprise.”
So, let’s take a look at three key areas that Google has made improvements for the enterprise:
Personal space on your work device:
Android has introduced a new ‘work profile’. This feature separates users’ work and personal data on the device so IT has the security it needs and users have the freedom to use the personal apps and services they want. Only the work data is managed, giving IT full control of corporate information and keeping employees’ photos, apps, and other personal data separate.
Get up and running in seconds:
Google has introduced a new zero-touch enrolment functionality which means enterprises can deploy corporate-owned Android devices with preconfigured management settings so that employees can begin using them right out of the box. Devices are configured online and drop-shipped to employees.
Robust security that stops malware in its tracks:
Google’s new Project Treble security solution separates underlying vendor implementation from the core Android framework. This modularization isolates each hardware abstraction layer (HAL) into its own process so each HAL only gets the hardware driver and kernel access it needs. This improves sandboxing and makes it harder for hackers to exploit the kernel.
Google is also enabling stricter enforcement of Play Protect. This security service is always-on, and scans for malware and blocks potentially-harmful apps. In Oreo, Google Play Protect can be managed by IT, so they can block unknown or risky apps across the whole device or just within work profiles.
With the inclusion of secure password reset it’s now easier for admins to help users securely recover from forgotten passwords on encrypted devices.
There are even more improvements on the Android 8.0 Oreo, but we think that these are the sweetest features. So, when is everyone else going to get on board? At Pocket App, we are always looking for new ways to push the frontier of app development, so if so if reading this article gives you food for thought, feel free to give us a call on 02071 834 388 or email contact@pocketapp.co.uk.
