Business Features of the Upcoming iOS 7

In the previous versions of its operating system, Apple focussed primarily on the consumer market. However, the company never made business owners feel "left out" while using them. With the announcement of iOS 7, Apple has attempted to develop software, which focuses on business owners for the first time. For business owners, functionality is the only feature that they seek in their smart phone OS and Apple has tried to address this issue in upcoming version of its OS. Following the current trend of BYOD, Apple has tailored this product towards "what business owners required the most". While announcing about iOS 7 at WWDC, Apple officials described about several user experience enhancements, security enhancements and ways to deploy it for business purpose. This transmitted a new gusto in business owners as they felt that iOS 7 is the technology that they were waiting for. Set to launch in a few months from now, iOS 7 is expected to highlight some spectacular characteristics that are there exclusively for business owners. Let us discuss a few of them below.

1. Per App VPN – This feature would configure your apps to connect to a VPN (Virtual Private Network) automatically while launching. Granular control will allow business data to flow within the VPN keeping personal data at bay. This feature is specially tailored, while keeping the uprising of BYOD concept in mind.

2. An improved mail system – In iOS 7, Apple has transformed the mail feature, allowing users to add and reorganize smart mailboxes in the mailbox list. Users can now view PDF footnotes as well. The users of Microsoft Exchange 2010 will now be able to synchronize notes with Outlook on their PC or laptop. 

3. More organized Open In – By this feature, business owners can protect confidential corporate data and control the applications and accounts used for viewing official documents and attachments. It allows IT administrators to set a configuration list according to their policies. In addition, it makes viewing the corporate data possible only in the corporate tabs.

4. Improved MDM configuration – This feature is included to shed some burden off the IT administrator's shoulders. The new Mobile Device Management (MDM) protocol is included in iOS 7 with the motive of streamlining third party MDM solutions. With this, you can manage applications wirelessly, install custom fonts and configure accessibility with AirPrint printers and WhiteList AirPlay.

5. Enterprise single sign-on (SSO) – Authentication will become far easier with iOS 7, as users would carry their login credentials across various platforms including those downloaded from app stores. Every new app configured with SSO will verify the credentials for enterprise resources. This way, users will log in without entering the password repeatedly.

6. Third party apps data protection – All third party apps will have data protection enabled automatically, reducing the risk of data leakage from their end and the information stored in Keychain would be secured by a user pass code.

Apart from the above-stated features, Apple has highlighted some other features as business centric features. This mainly includes the Cache Server 2 that stores purchased content and software updates and the new app store volume purchase program.

With all these features, Apple is attempting to attract business owners and get a firm control over smart phones segment for years to come. It was already the leader of smart phone manufacturing companies but launching iOS 7, it will become the undisputed leaders and the first smart phone OS developer to create an OS keeping business users and enterprises in the mind. For IT administrators, I feel that these features will give them a new experience along with fun that they will have while using iOS 7.