Apple has introduced a new platform to help business owners equip their staff with devices, essential apps and other tools to help grow their business. It’s called Apple Business – and it’s free.
With the Apple Business platform it features mobile device management so businesses can configure them, adjust settings and security.
And it can all be controlled with the Blueprints dashboard.
Apple Business, which will be available from April 15 in more than 200 countries, can also help companies grow and connect with local customers across Apple’s apps including Maps, Mail, Wallet, Siri and more.
“Apple Business is a significant leap forward in our decades-long commitment to helping companies of all sizes leverage the power of Apple products and services to run and grow,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Enterprise and Education Marketing.
“We’ve unified Apple’s strongest business offerings into one simple, secure platform, delivering key features for organisations in every stage and sector, including built-in device management, collaboration tools and additional ways to reach new customers.
“We can’t wait to see how Apple Business helps companies spend more time focusing on what they love and connecting deeply with their communities.”
One of the main features of Apple Business will be mobile device management (MDM) so users can view the organisation’s Apple devices, settings from one interface.
It is particularly attractive for small businesses who don’t have a dedicated IT department.
The Blueprints dashboard makes it easy to set up devices with pre-configured settings and apps and that they are secure and ready to go out of the box.
Apple Business also has a dedicated Apple Business app, which makes it possible for employees to download and install apps for work and view the contact information of their colleagues.
There is also a host of brand management tools at your fingertips in Apple Business Connect, which will now be made available through Apple Business.
This makes it easier for companies to manage their brand and share their locations across Apple services and apps.
With Apple Business you can manage the business brand name, logo, and other details consistently across Apple Maps, Wallet, and other features and apps.
It also provides rich place cards with photos and detailed location information and hours that can be displayed across Apple Maps, Safari, and Spotlight.
Businesses can highlight deals and other special offers along with seasonal items on place cards in Maps.
You can also add customised actions like “Order Now” or “Reserve” to direct customers to a preferred website or app.
Within the Mail app users can also display their brand to increase awareness.
And if you’re accepting payments directly on iPhone, you can also display a brand logo on the payment screen.
U.S. customers of Apple Business can also purchase additional iCloud storage of up to 2 TB per user.
It is not yet known if Apple will introduce that same offer for Australian Apple Business customers.
