Apple @ Work: What’s new with Apple gadget administration for iOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and extra?

Apple @ Work is completely delivered to you by Mosyle, the one Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the one resolution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all of the options essential to seamlessly and mechanically deploy, handle & shield Apple units at work. Over 45,000 organizations belief Mosyle to make thousands and thousands of Apple units work-ready with no effort and at an reasonably priced value. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL immediately and perceive why Mosyle is every part it’s essential to work with Apple.

WWDC has come and gone, and we now concentrate on a summer season of unstable beta gadget utilization as we put together for Apple’s newest iOS, macOS, tvOS, watchOS, and visionOS updates. In fact, with new main variations of Apple’s software program come the most recent updates to Apple gadget administration. In case you handle Apple units at work, right here’s a rundown of what to anticipate this fall.

About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed an enterprise IT community from 2009 to 2021. Via his expertise deploying and managing firewalls, switches, a cell gadget administration system, enterprise grade Wi-Fi, 1000s of Macs, and 1000s of iPads, Bradley will spotlight methods by which Apple IT managers deploy Apple units, construct networks to assist them, practice customers, tales from the trenches of IT administration, and methods Apple might enhance its merchandise for IT departments.

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Adjustments to Activation Lock

In my view, one of many largest enhancements this yr involves Apple’s Activation Lock. Activation Lock is one among Apple’s main theft deterrents for units, making certain that when a tool is marked as misplaced—whether or not via Discover My, iCloud.com, or by an IT administrator by way of gadget administration—a password or secret’s required earlier than it may be used once more.

Nevertheless, issues come up when a tool is returned with out disabling Activation Lock or if MDM fails to take away it. Even when the gadget has been erased, it may well’t be activated, leaving the IT unable to make use of it or promote it till the lock is lifted.

Beforehand, lifting this lock required help from Apple Assist and proof of buy of the units. With the autumn updates Apple Enterprise Supervisor (or Apple Faculty Supervisor), IT admins can flip off Activation Lock for organization-owned Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional units.

The most effective half is that Apple Enterprise Supervisor can take away user- and device-based locks. On the Mac, this performance extends even when Activation Lock was enabled by a consumer utilizing a private Apple Account earlier than the pc was enrolled into MDM.

Imaginative and prescient Professional positive aspects zero-touch deployment

Apple is constant its concentrate on making the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional IT-friendly. This fall, Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional will be capable to enroll mechanically in MDM by way of Automated System Enrollment via Apple Enterprise Supervisor (or Apple Faculty Supervisor), identical to Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. visionOS 2.0 can even carry most of the MDM performance which might be already accessible on iOS and iPadOS.

Platform SSO enhancements

Apple introduced that macOS 15 will increase the Platform Single Signal-On performance to require Id Supplier authentication throughout FileVault, the Lock Display screen, and the login window. This enhancement contains new coverage choices for configuring Contact ID or Apple Watch to unlock the display, making certain a streamlined consumer expertise whereas having sturdy safety requirements.

Managed Apple Accounts

Apple has launched a brand new area seize and account switch function to assist organizations handle accounts utilizing their area emails – now known as Managed Apple Accounts. If an end-user has created a private Apple ID with their group’s e-mail (e.g., @college.edu or @enterprise.com), Apple presents a path for customers to retain their private Apple ID whereas enabling the group to seize the e-mail to be used as a Managed Apple Account.

Software program Replace enhancements

One other important change on the horizon, due to Declarative System Administration, is improved administration of beta testing packages for brand spanking new Apple working programs. Beforehand, admins had required intensive handbook intervention to enroll customers in these packages. DDM goals to streamline this course of, permitting IT groups to remotely enroll units into completely different beta packages, implement phased rollouts, management the variations of beta software program put in on supervised units, and achieve higher visibility into what’s put in on their managed units. Moreover, units may be added to a beta program utilizing a company token, eliminating the necessity for customers to check in with an Apple ID of any kind.

Managing native community drives and exterior onerous drives

In macOS 15, an vital restriction has been reintroduced for managing native community drives and exterior onerous drives. IT admins can now management whether or not these drives can hook up with their units and restrict them to read-only entry.

Safari extension administration

Safari extensions have been round for a variety of years, however IT admins are actually gaining management over how they work on managed units. You’ll be capable to management which extensions are allowed, whether or not they’re all the time on, and which web sites they will work on. Finish customers will likely be knowledgeable if their IT crew has turned on extensions.

iPadOS and the Calculator app

Whereas this solely doubtless impacts schooling prospects, the calculator app from iOS is lastly coming to the iPad with iPadOS 18 with some nice options like Math Notes, which lets you write or sort out equations on a display and the place issues are immediately solved. For IT admins, they will handle the usage of Math Notes on their units.

Wrap up

Total, it’s a yr of strong additions from Apple for IT groups. There are a variety of new additions that can proceed to make Apple top-of-the-line companions for IT admins when deciding on units which might be straightforward to handle, but in addition safe and straightforward to make use of.

Apple @ Work is completely delivered to you by Mosyle, the one Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the one resolution that integrates in a single professional-grade platform all of the options essential to seamlessly and mechanically deploy, handle & shield Apple units at work. Over 45,000 organizations belief Mosyle to make thousands and thousands of Apple units work-ready with no effort and at an reasonably priced value. Request your EXTENDED TRIAL immediately and perceive why Mosyle is every part it’s essential to work with Apple.