Apple today unveiled “Apple Business Essentials,” a new subscription-based service that allows small businesses to handle device management, 24/7 Apple Support (optional through AppleCare+ for Business Essential to its plan), and iCloud storage.
The plan starts at just $2.99 per device/mo for a single device plan with a 50GB of storage cap, $6.99 per user/mo for three device management for each user with a 200GB of storage cap, and $12.99 per user/mo for three device management with 2TB of storage cap.
Apple also unveiled the new Apple Business Essentials app, which allows employees to install work-related apps and get support. According to an Apple press release, Apple Business Essentials saves small businesses valuable time as they grow.
The service is now in Beta in the United States and helps small businesses with the total device management life cycle, from device setup to employee onboarding and device upgrades. Apple’s service will be completely available in the spring of 2022; however, interested testers can currently join up for the Beta phase at apple.com/business/essentials.
Small businesses are at the core of our economy, and we’re proud that Apple products play a role in helping these companies grow. Apple Business Essentials is designed to help streamline every step of employee device management within a small business — from setup, onboarding, and upgrading, to accessing fast service and prioritized support, all while keeping data backed up and secure, so companies can focus on running their business.
Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Enterprise and Education Marketing
Apple Business Essentials is a comprehensive solution that simplifies employee onboarding by allowing a small business to effortlessly configure, deploy, and manage Apple products from any location.
Collections in Apple Business Essentials allow IT staff to configure settings and apps for individual users, groups, or devices. Collections automatically transfer settings such as VPN setups and Wi-Fi passwords to employees’ corporate or personally owned devices when they login in with their work credentials. Furthermore, Collections will put the new Apple Business Essentials app on each employee’s home screen, from which they will be able to download business programs designated to them, such as Cisco Webex or Microsoft Word.
In addition to faster setup and onboarding, Apple Business Essentials includes a dedicated iCloud account for work, allowing for convenient and secure file and document storage, backup, and collaboration. Business data is automatically stored and backed up in iCloud, making it simple to migrate between devices or upgrade to a new device.
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