Apple @ Work brings you Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that fully integrates 5 different applications on one Apple-only platform, enabling businesses to easily and automatically deploy, manage and protect all their Apple devices. More than 38,000 organizations use Mosyle solutions every day to automate the deployment, management and security of millions of Apple devices. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at an unbelievable price.
As Apple has continued to grow in the enterprise, one area the company has never ventured into is hosting business email via iCloud. Unlike Google and Microsoft, which offer popular email hosting solutions for businesses with Google Workspace and Microsoft 365, Apple has never tried to compete in this market. I’ve said in the past that they were wrong to avoid the iCloud Email for Business strategy, but as the years have passed, I’m here to admit that I was wrong and Apple was right.
About Apple @ Work: Bradley Chambers managed the enterprise IT network from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience in setting up and managing firewalls, switches, mobile device management system, business Wi-Fi, 100’s of Macs and 100’s of iPads, Bradley will highlight how Apple IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, train users, stories from the trenches of IT management, and ways Apple could improve its products for IT departments.
Companies don’t switch providers unless it’s a dramatically better solution
One challenge companies face as they grow is the need to continue expanding into other business areas. Apple sees it on the consumer side. They are adding new services faster than you can count. On the business side, they have a different approach. They are focused on the key competencies that make them successful in the first place. They don’t try to be everything to everyone. Instead, they are focused on making products that they can make well and that people want to buy. This is why Apple has never offered a business email hosting solution. They know what they’re good at and don’t want to waste time trying something new just because it’s another service to sell.
The reality is that Apple offering its own business email hosting platform would be worse than Google and Microsoft at the job, and at best on par. Businesses generally don’t switch suppliers for something that’s as good as what they’re leaving. Innovations are happening in email, but they are at the application level rather than the protocol level. Apps like Spike, Hey, and Twobird are innovating the way people experience email, but there isn’t as much innovation at the hosting level.
Apple said no to say yes
“People think focus means saying yes to the things you have to focus on. But it doesn’t mean that at all. It means saying no to a hundred other good ideas out there.” – Steve Jobs, 1997
Apple is a company that has achieved tremendous success and has become a household name around the world. However, it is important to remember that Apple, like any other company, has its limitations and cannot do everything.
One of the key aspects of Apple’s success has been its ability to focus on a select number of products and make them exceptionally well. While other companies may try to cut corners by offering a wide variety of products and services, Apple has always been selective about what it pursues. By saying no to most things, Apple is able to focus its resources and attention on what it does best.
By saying no to business email, I can say yes to modernizing its device management APIs. By saying no to business email, I can focus on expanding integrations for Apple Business Manager. By saying no to business email, they can extend identity provider integrations to macOS. When I look at all the great things Apple has done for the enterprise over the past few years, they’re all more important than Apple starting a business email provider.
IdP has become more important than email
In the past, email accounts were often used as the primary authentication method for business systems. However, as the use of cloud-based applications and services became more prevalent in the business world, the need for a more secure and reliable method of authentication became apparent. This is where identity providers like Okta and Ping become increasingly important.
Identity providers offer a single sign-on solution for accessing multiple applications and services, allowing employees to use a single set of sign-in credentials to access all the tools they need to do their jobs. This not only makes it more convenient for users, but also helps improve security by centralizing authentication and making it easier to manage and control access.
As a result, identity providers like Okta and Ping have become enterprise authentication pipelines, offering a secure and efficient way for businesses to manage employee access to the tools and resources they need. This move away from using email accounts as the primary authentication method has helped improve security and simplify the user experience in the modern workplace.
Wrap
Apple’s decision not to launch an iCloud business email service was a smart move. Instead of trying to compete in an already crowded market, the company decided to focus on building APIs for integrations with other systems. By focusing on what it does best and collaborating with other companies, Apple has been able to offer a range of innovative solutions that meet the needs of businesses and individuals alike. While the company may not offer a stand-alone business email service, it has found ways to meet the needs of its business users through its strong ecosystem of integrations and partnerships.
Photo by Michał Kubalczyk on Unsplash
Apple @ Work brings you Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that fully integrates 5 different applications on one Apple-only platform, enabling businesses to easily and automatically deploy, manage and protect all their Apple devices. More than 38,000 organizations use Mosyle solutions every day to automate the deployment, management and security of millions of Apple devices. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at an unbelievable price.
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