The everything as a service wave has now extended to Apple devices -- Macs, iPads and iPhones. Among the recent examples: HP Inc. recently extended its device as a service (DaaS) plan to Apple hardware. And Addigy last week hosted a Mac-centric conference for MSPs and channel partners.
I honestly never thought I'd ever see the day that a company like HP Inc. would offer Apple devices to their customers. PC manufacturers have typically been at war with Apple in the fight for market share. In a shocking change of service offerings, HP recently announced that they would start supporting iPhone, iPad, Mac, and other Apple devices used by commercial customers in mixed OS environments in their Device-as-a-Service offering.
According to the company, HP is embracing mixed-device environments by offering complete solutions to customers extending beyond HP-manufactured hardware. DaaS for Apple is the latest example, currently offered directly from HP in the U.S. with plans to expand to other countries and select channel partners over the next year.
Juggling Multiple Devices, Platforms
The typical user now averages about four devices, according to a Strategy Analytics Global Internet Device Forecast Report from 2014 users will have an average of four devices each. Amid that reality, mixed-device environments are the norm in today’s world and becoming increasingly difficult and costly for organizations due to the number of devices, managing multiple device types, OSes, and vendors. Because of these realities, HP has responded to this key customer pain point.
Indeed, many IT managers claim their resources are drained by device management and they would like to focus on other IT projects such as mobility, business applications, and security initiatives. Through the expansion of the DaaS offering by HP. HP claims that this multi-OS solution is designed to boost IT efficiency and improve employee experiences.
Bill Avey, global head and general manager of Personal Systems Services at HP said in a prepared statement:
“Our customers are seeking new ways to better manage the expansion of device types and operating systems across their workforce. With the launch of DaaS for Apple, HP is offering the leading multi-OS device management solution and raising the bar on service delivery, our expanded support for mixed operating system environments across every phase of the device lifecycle, combined with our continued expansion into VR and data analytics, is providing smart, simplified solutions for the modern workforce and unlocking new growth opportunities for our customers, our channel partners, and our business.”
It will be interesting to see if this expansion works out for the company, as going through HP is currently the only way to obtain Apple devices through a subscription service.
MSPs and Mac Monitoring Services
Meanwhile, RMM (remote monitoring and management) software tools continue to gain more Apple Mac and macOS capabilities. Many of the major and emerging RMM providers -- from Atera to SolarWinds MSP -- have some Mac features. But upstarts like Addigy focus purely on Macs.
In fact, Addigy hosted a customer and partner conference last week in Florida. And the company in February introduced software updates to "further improve Mac management and service delivery experience." CEO Jason Dettbarn is a Kaseya veteran with extensive MSP-centric experience.
More competition could be moving into the Mac-centric RMM market. To wit: Vista Equity Partners in October 2017 acquired Jamf, which focuses on enterprise Mac management software. Jamf didn't have a MSP-centric focus ahead of the company sale. But rumors about an MSP push have grown louder in recent months.
Roll the RMM and device-as-a-service efforts together, and MSPs could wind up with complete "everything as a service" capabilities for Apple customers.
Additional insights from Joe Panettieri.
