In an apparent try to solidify its standing within the corporate world, RIM has unveiled a brand new platform that permits IT specialists to more tightly manage company devices — even those from rival manufacturers like Apple and Android. With the BlackBerry Mobile Fusion software, announced this morning, companies would be capable of installation rules governing employee passwords apps and other software across a lot of smartphones and tablets, including the iPhone, iPad and Android handsets. The system also allows managers to remotely wipe and lock any devices that go missing or stolen, potentially bringing enhanced security to a workplace that’s become increasingly fragmented. “Our customers were saying, ‘We’re moving to those different adoption models, and we would such as you on board with that,’” said Alan Panezic, vp for enterprise product management, in an interview with the Wall Street Journal. Slated to launch in the course of the first quarter of next year, Mobile Fusion represents RIM’s first foray into the multi-platform management market, and can expand even further to encompass Windows Phone devices, to boot. Compatible with BlackBerry OS and BBX , Mobile Fusion will even allow users to remotely manage PlayBooks from BlackBerry handsets, though that will not happen until February, when the tablet finally receives a software update. No word yet on pricing, but Panezic says it’ll be “competitive” with the market.
Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX: RIM) today introduced BlackBerry® Mobile Fusion – the Company’s next-generation enterprise mobility solution and RIM’s entry into the multi-platform Mobile Device Management (MDM) marketplace. Building on years of leading enterprise mobility management solutions from RIM, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will simplify the management of smartphones and tablets running BlackBerry®, Google® Android® and Apple® iOS® operating systems.
“We’re pleased to introduce BlackBerry Mobile Fusion – RIM’s next generation enterprise mobility solution – to make it easier for our business and government customers to control the range of devices of their operations today,” said Alan Panezic, Vice chairman, Enterprise Product Management and Marketing at Research In Motion. “BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together our industry-leading BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology for BlackBerry devices with mobile device management capabilities for iOS and Android devices, all managed from one web-based console. It provides the mandatory management capabilities to permit IT departments to confidently oversee using both company-owned and employee-owned mobile devices within their organizations.”
RIM is the leading provider of enterprise mobility solutions with over 90 percent of the Fortune 500 provisioning BlackBerry devices today. The enterprise marketplace for smartphones and tablets continues to grow in both the corporate-provisioned and employee-owned (Bring Your individual Device or BYOD) categories. BYOD mainly has ended in a rise within the diversity of mobile devices in use within the enterprise and new challenges for CIOs and IT departments as they try to administer and control wireless access to confidential company information at the corporate network. This has led to increased demand for mobile device management solutions.
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion brings together the market-leading BlackBerry® Enterprise Server (version 5.0.3) for BlackBerry smartphones; new management capabilities for BlackBerry PlayBook tablets built on BlackBerry Enterprise Server technology; and mobile device management for smartphones and tablets running Android and iOS operating systems.
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion will provide the subsequent mobile device management capabilities for all supported mobile devices*:
• Asset management
• Configuration management
• Security and policy definition and management
• Secure and protect lost or stolen devices (remote lock, wipe)
• User- and group-based administration
• Multiple device per user capable
• Application and software management
• Connectivity management (Wi-Fi®, VPN, certificate)
• Centralized console
• High scalability
BlackBerry smartphones will continue to learn from the numerous advantages of the top-to-end BlackBerry solution including an identical advanced IT management, security and control available with BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0.3, that’s component to BlackBerry Mobile Fusion. These advanced features include BlackBerry® Balance™ technology supporting using a single device for both work and private purposes without compromising the organization’s deserve to secure, manage and control confidential information; over 500 IT policies; over-the-air app and software installation and management; high availability; and masses more. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion can even introduce new self-service functionality for workers to secure lost or stolen BlackBerry smartphones and BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.
BlackBerry Mobile Fusion is currently in early beta testing with select enterprise customers. RIM is now accepting customer nominations for the closed beta program with a view to start in January, and general availability is predicted in late March.
For more info, visit www.blackberry.com/mobilefusion.
* Device security, manageability and controls will continue to differ in accordance with the inherent capabilities of the person device operating systems.
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