How do companies choose business smartphones? By what are they guided when choosing. Are other factors taken into account in addition to ensuring safety?
android dominated the smartphone market – both used privately and in organizations. The world’s most popular operating system is eagerly chosen by organizations due to the very great possibilities of customization and adaptation to the specific needs of a given company.
How do organizations choose smartphones? Source: PCWorld.com
Also in Poland, smartphones equipped with the Android operating system are the basic work tool. Some organizations offer a choice of Apple iPhones, but they are still a notable minority. Moreover, even in companies where iOS smartphones predominate, IT departments offer the option of choosing alternative Android devices.
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Google encourages companies to take advantage of Android by offering a number of options. The operating system can be easily integrated into the environment Microsoft Intuneservices Microsoft 365, Google workspaceand other solutions used by IT departments. Besides The search giant has its own Android Enterprise Recommended programwhich is designed to troubleshoot devices managed by organizations.
Google releases tools to help IT departments see which devices meet this certification in different regions, as well as check supported Android versions and security update end dates.
Android’s biggest problem – software updates
Organizations using Android smartphones are most concerned about the availability of software updates from the manufacturer of selected devices. In the case of iPhone smartphones, Apple tightly controls the hardware and software layer, giving IT confidence that software updates will be released on time and support will last at least 5 years, which is longer. than the life cycle of the device.
On the other side is the operating system android. As open source software Maybe he freely modified and used by everyone. Google’s operating system is the most fragmented software in the world – the vast majority of devices operate under the control of outdated versions of the system, and it all depends on the manufacturer of the hardware and its update policy.
The most popular manufacturer of business Android smartphones is Samsung
Samsung – one of the largest manufacturers of Android devices has been a leader in providing devices to the enterprise market for many years. The Korean manufacturer has implemented proprietary company and military-grade security and has a well established and repeatedly software update policy testedwhich guarantees that organizations won’t end up with unsupported hardware and security vulnerabilities.
Samsung devices currently come with five-year security update plan And at least three updates that change the version number of the Android operating system.
Samsung smartphones are the top choice for a reason Source: PCWorld.com
Samsung directs all security-equipped smartphones to companies Knox. Therefore, we are talking about both flagships and much cheaper devices. Officially, the list includes the following series: Galaxy A3x, Galaxy A5x, Galaxy Note, Galaxy S, Galaxy XCover (ruggedized devices), Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold.
However, Samsung smartphones have several disadvantages that should be mentioned. it belongs to them heavily modified user interface A delivered user interface with additional Samsung appswhich may require additional IT support. Additionally, the Korean manufacturer has controversial practices centered around privacy and advertising IDs. Apart from these disadvantages, it is the best choice for business which is confirmed by organizations all over the world.
Google would be better but accessibility is a problem
Google offers professional smartphones from the family Google Pixel, which are the equivalent of the iPhone running under the control of Android. Unfortunately these devices will never gain popularity due to their limited availability. Pixel series smartphones are not available in Poland and many other regions.
Pixel family smartphones have proprietary layouts Google Titan with increased security and receive all Android updates the day they are released, which is a huge advantage over competing third-party hardware.
There are also cheaper models with the letter a on the market, which are an ideal choice for regular employees.
Unfortunately, the advantages of Google smartphones are mainly used by companies in the United States.
Other companies are also trying their hand at business
Phones for use in organizations are also offered Motorola. Models such as Edge 30 Ultra and Edge 30 Fusion meet all Android Enterprise requirements. Similar models are also available nokia, OnePlus, Oppo, sony Whether Xiaomi. However, the problem with these companies’ smartphones is noticeably worse update policythat may affect the security of the organization’s IT infrastructure.
Xiaomi is becoming more and more popular, but there is no proper update policy Source: mi-home.pl
How long does individual smartphone support last?
At the end we have prepared a special list that illustrates very well why most organizations in Poland and around the world use Android smartphones produced by Samsung. Despite the growing influence of Chinese brands with Xiaomi in the lead, it is Samsung that sells the most devices to the corporate sector.
When deciding on the purchase of new smartphones, IT departments are beginning to take security aspects into accountso that they check how long devices will receive software updates.
In an ideal scenario, only certification would suffice Android Enterprise Recommendedbut in practice it is not so simple, because Google only needs one update to change the version of the operating system.
Google has its own smartphone recommendation system, but it’s not perfect Source: Google.com
Below are the update policies of the most popular smartphone manufacturers:
- Google: Five years of security updates, three years of OS updates
- Motorola: three years of security updates, one year of operating system updates
- Nokia: three years of security updates, two years of operating system updates
- OnePlus: four years of security updates, three major operating system updates
- Oppo: three years of security updates, one year of operating system updates
- Realme: three years of security updates, two major operating system updates
- Samsung: “at least” four years of security updates, three “generations” of OS updates
- Vivo: three years of security updates, three years of OS updates
- Xiaomi: three years of security updates, a big operating system update
The table shows that Samsung and Google have the best support among Android devices. Since Google smartphones are available in a limited number of countries, it’s no surprise that Samsung is the number one choice in the business sector.