When Apple vertically integrates it works for them. All the way from the cloud to the OS to the hardware. Pretty sure this will beat out tools like JAMF on user privacy alone by running trusted MDM adjacent tools in kernel space.

Yes sure you can use a different tool for any of these, defaults dominate for the same reason Google pays ~15 billion to be the default search engine on iPhones.

This is probably an attempt to retarget the education space more with the launch of the neo. Of course targeting a bigger enterprise space is not a bad idea

> Starting April 14, Apple Business will be available as a free service in the U.S. and 200+ countries and regions to new and existing users of Apple Business Connect, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Manager.

> Apple Business Essentials, Apple Business Manager, and Apple Business Connect will no longer be available once Apple Business launches. Business Essentials customers will no longer be charged their monthly service fee for device management after April 14. Existing Business Connect data — including claimed locations, place card information, photos, organization information, account details, and more — will automatically migrate to Apple Business at launch.

I don't get it. Is this free? If so this is insane value compared to everything else.

It would be great if you could get correct invoice and pay price without VAT in EU as a VAT registered business. It is incredible they can get around without providing such a basic thing for so long.

Worth repeating: Never tie your personal phone to your work stuff.

We use Jamf Pro for a small company. I'm not a big fan of the minimum 20 seat pricing model. I hope this will be something small companies can move to easily and have enough coverage to satisfy security reviews.

> Starting April 14, Apple Business will be available as a free service in the U.S. and 200+ countries and regions to new and existing users of Apple Business Connect, Apple Business Essentials, and Apple Business Manager.

Does this mean — Always Free or Introductory Free for now?

Given previous Apple adventures on the server room, not sure if I would bet on this staying around.

If I’m understanding this correctly it’s a one stop shop for an entire out of the box it department.

Wow… I might be missing something, but not once did I see AI mentioned! Apple is no slouch in the marketing department— this is surely a deliberate omission. It looks like marketers are finally catching up with public sentiment. I’m sure a lot of people will say it was their abject failure to productize their AI initiatives driving this decision, but I doubt it: the people they’re trying to sell business services to probably don’t know, let alone care about that. I think this term and the industry hype around it is just too radioactive to be beneficial in copy.

I’m happy to be corrected if I missed anything, or entertain alternate conclusions. I’m no expert.