Today, Apple announced Apple Business Essentials, which will bring device management, support, data storage and security into one complete subscription. Apple is proving its dedication to the small business sector with this all-new service — currently available in beta — as Apple Business Essentials will provide a one-stop shop for business owners looking for strong security, prioritized support, and easy device management. Let’s take a look at exactly what the service has to offer:
Key Features of Apple Business Essentials:
- Easy onboarding and tech set-up for new employees
- 24-hour support through AppleCare
- Data storage through iCloud
- Repair Apple devices when needed
- Easy replacement and updates on devices
For small businesses that use iPhones, iPads, or Macs, this service may sound like a dream come true. Apple Business Essentials was made with the intention of building or supplementing your IT support. The service subscription — which is available in a few different packages — can cover needs such as device set-up, storage management, and tech support for businesses of up to 500 employees.
Easy Onboarding and New Employee Set-Up
To start, Apple Business Solutions can save you time with onboarding and tech set-up for new employees with an easy-to-manage interface. Business owners or department heads can create a user group based on rules like location, role, or team to assign different access levels to certain employees using the service’s “Collections.” Each employee can then sign into their Apple Business Essentials account to have access to their specific Collections. Employees can also enroll their personal devices for work purposes, if they choose, to ensure everything is safe and secure. This is all accessible through simply logging into their Apple Business Essentials account.
24/7 Apple Support
You also have the option to add prioritized Apple Support to your plan. Receive 24/7 access to phone support when you add AppleCare+. Employees can initiate repairs directly from the new Apple Business Essentials app, track the issue, and review deployment strategies.
Plans with AppleCare+ also include same-day repairs — in as quickly as four hours — for Apple devices. Each plan with AppleCare+ includes up to two repairs annually, but they’re not tied to any one device or user. This service will be available in spring 2022 and is not currently included in the beta version.
Reliable Security and Storage
Finally, Apple understands that your business’ data needs to remain private and secure. The business’ IT representative can utilize security settings such as FileVault for full-disk encryption on Mac, and Activation Lock for devices that are lost or stolen. If an employee is using a personal device for work, they can create cryptographic separation for work data to decipher between the employee’s personal data and the company’s data that needs to remain secure. The business can also maintain a designated iCloud account to keep documents and files in one place.
There are currently three subscription plans available for Apple Business Essentials. Additionally, you can mix and match plans to cover each employee’s specific needs. You can also make adjustments to your business’s plan at any time.
Apple Business Essentials Subscription:
Single device – $2.99 per device/mo
- For employees with one device, receives 50GB of storage
Multi-device – $6.99 per user/mo
- For employees with up to three devices, receives 200GB of storage
Multi-device, more storage – $12.99 per user/mo
- For employees with up to three devices, receives 2TB of storage
This recent announcement by Apple truly shows its commitment to supporting small businesses. Apple Business Essentials is available in its beta version today.
