Put Android to work Attend the first ever Android for Work Live online conference on November 4th

Posted by Nick King, Head of Android and Chrome for Work Marketing

Editors note: Were launching our first Android for Work Live online event to share how Android is transforming the workplace, expanding the business role of mobile devices and helping companies like Guardian Life Insurance Company achieve more with mobility. The event will take place on Wednesday, Nov 4th at 11 am PDT. Register today.

Mobile devices are essential for navigating our personal lives, from buying movie tickets and guiding us to weekend get togethers to helping us take out a home loan. For consumers, it seems that almost anything can be done now using smartphones and tablets. But in business, these devices have only just begun to change the way we work.

When we launched Android for Work earlier this year, we set out to close this gap, by helping companies use Android’s flexibility and choice to make the most of business mobility. Why? Because we see a world where mobility means so much more than mail, calendar and contacts.

This year, more than 10,000 companies are testing or deploying Android for Work, and Frost & Sullivan recently awarded us the 2015 North America Visionary Innovation Award for Mobile Enterprise Productivity. With Android Marshmallow, we’re taking another step in that journey by building out support for deploying Android devices in a host of scenarios – from dedicated employee use to installing customer-facing hardware that makes interactions more dynamic and responsive.

At Android for Work Live, you’ll:

• Hear from Andrew Toy, product management director for Android for Work, who’ll discuss the broad vision of Android in the workplace and how businesses can mobilize every worker and workflow.

• Learn how Android’s vast selection of devices – from affordable phones to locked-down hardware and customized devices – creates choice and agility for BYOD, corporate deployments and single-purpose scenarios.

• Get an in-depth look at how companies can rely on Android’s built-in multi-layered protections to keep business data secure and managed across all devices in an overview from Adrian Ludwig, technical lead for Android security.

• Hear insights from Android customers, including Guardian Life Insurance Company.

Register for Android for Work Live today and join the conversation on social media using #AndroidforWorkLive15.

Read More..

Android is ready for work

Posted by Rajen Sheth, Director of Product Management, Android and Chrome for Work

(Cross-posted on the Android Blog.)

Over a billion people today carry Android smartphones—devices that are more powerful than the computers we used just a few years ago.

For many, these phones have become essential tools to help us complete important work tasks like checking email, editing documents, reviewing sales pipelines and approving deals. But for the majority of workers, smartphones and tablets are underutilized in the workplace. Their business and innovation potential remain largely untapped.

Today were announcing the Android for Work program to tap into that potential. With a group of partners, were helping businesses bring more devices to work by securing, managing and innovating on the Android platform.

Android for Work features four key technology components:

• Work profiles – We’ve built on the default encryption, enhanced SELinux security enforcement and multi-user support in Android 5.0, Lollipop to create a dedicated work profile that isolates and protects work data. IT can deploy approved work apps right alongside their users personal apps knowing their sensitive data remains secured. People can use their personal apps knowing their employer only manages work data and won’t erase or view their personal content.

• Android for Work app – For devices running Ice Cream Sandwich through Kitkat, or that don’t run work profiles natively, we’ve created the Android for Work app. The app, which delivers secure mail, calendar, contacts, documents, browsing and access to approved work apps, can be completely managed by IT.

• Google Play for Work – Google Play for Work allows businesses to securely deploy and manage apps across all users running Android for Work, simplifying the process of distributing apps to employees and ensuring that IT approves every deployed app.

• Built-in productivity tools – For everyday business tasks, we’ve created a suite of business apps for email, contacts and calendar, which supports both Exchange and Notes and provides document editing capabilities for documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

We’re joined by a number of partners as part of the Android for Work program, including many familiar names within the Android ecosystem:

Our partners bring IT:

• Consistent management – Enterprise mobility management (EMM) providers integrate with standardized management APIs to create a simple way to manage all Android devices, new and old, from one dashboard. All Android for Work capabilities are delivered through EMM partners, with more providers available soon.
• Secure business apps – Software vendors and developers can create a single version of any Google Play app that can be securely deployed to any Android device without alterations or wrapping. And they can create standard management configurations that allow IT to apply policies per app.
• Innovative devices – Android smartphone and tablet makers are a key part of the Android for Work program, as they create devices and experiences that add additional value for customers.

Together with a wide range of management, application and device makers, we believe the Android for Work program provides businesses and workers with the choice and flexibility they need to get things done at work.

Learn more by visiting google.com/work/android.

Read More..