Sometimes it is easy to forget that Android can be used for business purposes too. However, the release of Android 13 emphasis again on the strong enterprise value Android provides. New dynamic work experiences, upgraded work profiles and more granular security and privacy controls are just the tip of the ice berg. Read on to discover why to upgrade your mobile fleet to Android 13.
Hybrid work is here to stay, which means that businesses are demanding more out of their devices than ever before. With Android 13, Google gives organizations new ways to put their mobile fleet to work. Let’s take a look at why your enterprise should make the switch.
1. Welcome, Lost Mode
Nowadays the use of smartphones is not just limited to sending a text or receiving a phone call. Most devices are also used to access work applications. So, once a device gets lost or stolen, it puts your corporate data at risk. To prevent unauthorized access, Android 13 introduces Lost Mode, allowing IT admins to locate and lock down company-owned devices.
2. Security updates for specific modules
With Android 13, Google has reworked how security updates are handled. With the new Google System Updates framework, the operating system is broken down in components. Thereby updates for specific modules, rather than the entire OS can be sent to devices. That’s faster patching and rollouts!
3. Faster security patches
Another way Google aims at speeding up security patches is by adding Bluetooth and Ultra-wideband to the list of modules that can be updated remotely through Google System Updates.
4. Automatically deleting clipboard contents
Another great addition to Android 13? The clipboard automatically clears itself after an hour, lessening the chances that apps might access private data as well as decreasing the possibility of accidently sharing a piece of copied corporate information with the wrong person. That’s privacy at its finest!
5. More control over device Wi-Fi connectivity
Android 13 gives IT admins more control over device Wi-Fi connectivity for features like Wi-Fi direct and Wi-Fi tethering as it adds security logs for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and password activities.
6. Staying private on work Wi-Fi
With Stay Private on Work Wi-Fi, Google further enhances employee privacy by automatically encrypting and routing network traffic for personal profiles when employees are making use of corporate Wi-Fi.
7. Secure media sharing
With Android 13, users gain more control over what information apps can and cannot access. When apps request access to the files on your phone, they must specify whether they want access to images, video, or audio files, preventing apps from asking access to file types they don’t need.
8. Central data hub
After having read the previous seven points, there is no doubt that privacy and security are at the heart of Android Enterprise. With its Central Data Hub, Google is taking end-user privacy even further as it gives business users control over their individual security settings and the data being shared with IT admins.
9. Easily navigating between work and personal profiles
But Android 13 is not all about privacy and security. It also brings new features that aim at improving the experience of using a device for both work and play. With a work profile enabled, Android 13 separates the personal and enterprise apps, as well as data and usage. Besides, the new operating system makes navigating between both profiles more intuitive as it lets employee specify if an app should be opened in their personal or work profile.
10. Near-Field Communication in work apps
With its new software update, Google enables all devices to use Near-Field communication for work apps, allowing the use of digital access badges and tap-to-pay.
11. Copy pasting across devices
Another great addition to Android 13? Cross-device copy and paste. You simple have to copy something on one device and can paste anywhere you want. What makes this feature even better is that you can even edit what you have copied to the clipboard before pasting it.
12. Seamlessly working from anywhere
Working across devices was never easier with Android 13. Thanks to a new integration between Android and chromeOS, employees can now securely respond to and access work information that is on their phones from their Chromebooks. As all data is end-to-end-encrypted, Google ensures you’re your corporate resources are kept safe at all times.
13. Multi-user support
With Android 13, a long-awaited feature is finally coming to Samsung phones: multi-user support. Multi-user support, already available on other Android phones, allows the device to be used by multiple profiles. Both accounts have their own home screen, applications, settings, and more. Ideal for corporate environments with shared devices!