You’re probably aware that Android is a Google product. So it should be no surprise that Google Workspace users can have their Android registered devices managed through their corporate Workspace account.

If you are a business that gives your employees cell phones or tablets for work, this is important. User managed devices are all over the board when it comes to security. Some users use their dog’s name as their password; they may turn off their lock screens; and constantly forget their phones on the restaurant table after leaving a tip and paying the bill. Bad user “security hygiene” can expose your business to enormous risks of being hacked and losing data.

At the same time, users don’t want to carry two devices: their personal phone and a corporate one.

For businesses like these, Android Management offers a number of benefits:

1. Users can have 2 profiles on their device: a work profile managed by their business, and a personal profile for their own personal use.
2. For deployment through a company, employees can be given a new Android device that is pre-configured and ready to be powered on without having anyone in the IT department needing to open the box or spend time tediously configuring it.
3. The device can be forced to use the corporate VPN when connecting to the Internet. No more risk of having sensitive information stolen through WIFI hot spots in restaurants or airports.
4. Corporate information can be encrypted so that if the device is lost or stolen, no corporate data can be extracted. The account or the device can also be wiped of all data when the device is being decommissioned or if it has been stolen.
5. The phone can make and receive both personal and work calls from the same dialer app.
6. Work profile policies can be enforced across teams, or the entire company. Restrict phones to only using the apps and versions that you know work with your business.

Many of these features have been around for a while, but an upgrade is in the works.

For devices registered after June 28, 2020, a new Android Management system will be in place. It has better integration with the Android Operating System and a more streamlined and easy to use interface for users. Older registered devices can still be managed using the existing Google Apps Device Policy.