Google today announced the Android Enterprise Recommended program, which certifies Android handsets that meet a stringent set of criteria.
“With more than 2 billion active devices worldwide, Android provides great choice and diversity for users and businesses alike,” Google’s David Still writes. “But with so many options available, enterprise IT organizations around the world often ask: ‘Which Android devices are right for my organization?'”
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Designed to help Google’s business customers make better device choices, the Android Enterprise Recommended program is backed by a “thorough” device review process in which accepted devices must meet “an elevated set of specifications for hardware, deployment, security updates, and user experience.” Device makers in the program also receive “an enhanced level of technical support and training from Google,” the firm says.
Among the requirements for the program are support for bulk deployment of Android devices including zero-touch enrollment, Android security updates for a minimum of three years, and the availability of unlocked devices direct from manufacturer or reseller. You can find the full list of Android Enterprise Recommended requirements the Google website.
Tied to this announcement, Google has also revealed the first Android handsets that have been approved for the Android Enterprise Recommended program: the BlackBerry KEYone and Motion; Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Pixel 2, and Pixel 2 XL; Huawei Mate 10, Mate 10 Pro, P10, P10 Plus, P10 Lite, and P smart; LG V30 and G6; Motorola X4 and Z2; Nokia 8; and Sony Xperia XZ1, XZ1 Compact, XZ Premium, XA2, and XA2 Ultra all made the cut. And Google says we will see devices added to the list in “the coming weeks and months.”
Stooks
<p>And my company just dropped support for Android devices for things like company email and DUO 2 factor on employee owned devices. Just two many issues with users, OS versions etc. DUO stopped supporting anything below Android 6 at least a year ago. The iPhone is the only option. Company provided phones have only ever been iPhones.</p>
Stooks
<blockquote><a href="#247716"><em>In reply to ghostrider:</em></a></blockquote><p>I don't work in that part of IT but I have heard that various versions caused various problems with Exchange email and Airwatch support. Since users could not always get updates the problem grew.</p><p><br></p><p>The company did give out more iPhones to overcome some of the issues, but those who could not get a company provided phone they had to make a choice, since support for Android was dropped.</p><p><br></p><p>I work in the network department and we own VPN. We also manage the Duo 2F solution. Duo dropped support a year or more ago for anything below a certain version of 6.x. At the time 7 had just come out. We had to turn off quite a few Duo accounts until those users became compliant. After the email team dropped support for Android we dropped support for Duo as well. A few users have a hard token now.</p>
dontbe evil
<p><strong style="color: rgb(13, 68, 99); background-color: transparent;">"Google Certifies Android for the Enterprise" nice joke LOL</strong></p>