How to manage the alphabet soup of XR with VMware Workspace ONE UEM

Enterprise applications of extended reality (XR) are growing at an exponential rate. They’re transforming how we work, train, and interact with others as employees and engage with brands as consumers. XR is a catch-all term for all the technologies that extend or enhance reality. While augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are considered the pillars of the XR market, assisted reality and mixed reality (MR) are also included.

According to Mordor Intelligence, the XR market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of almost 35% over the next five years, with some saying it could surpass $1.1 trillion by 2030. Overall, XR devices are set to revolutionize how enterprises approach specific workflows, training, remote assistance, design, collaboration, and customer experiences.

The alphabet soup of extended reality

Here’s a guide to the different types of XR:

• Assisted reality: Static two-dimensional (2D) content delivered to a user’s peripheral vision with smart glasses. Commonly used for workflows and remote assistance.
• Augmented reality (AR): Three-dimensional (3D) digital content delivered to a user’s field of view that can interact with real-world objects in real time. Top use cases include immersive training and collaboration, augmented workflows, and remote assistance. Can be deployed on smartphones, tablets, or headsets.
• Virtual reality (VR): Delivered on a headset that completely blocks the user’s view of the real world. Relies on head tracking and other inputs to create a fully immersive computer-generated simulation or digital reality. Beneficial for training and collaboration, live events, and media production.
• Mixed reality (MR): Enabled on a VR headset with cameras and sensors, which allow the user to see their surroundings (via video stream) and interact with real-world and digital objects in real-time. Can be used for remote design and collaboration, productivity, training, and customer experiences.

The challenge with XR headsets in the enterprise

The prospect of enterprise XR is exciting. However, organizations still need the right hardware and software to support it. While AR can be deployed on a smartphone or tablet, more business value is derived from the heads-up, hands-free approach that assisted reality smart glasses and AR and VR headsets enable. And when it comes to headsets, there are numerous risks and challenges associated with deploying them at an enterprise level, including cost, onboarding, security, and usability.

To start, many XR headsets were designed for the consumer market, making them less than enterprise ready. Headsets also present a new and unique interaction paradigm, which can be challenging for users who are not familiar with the technology. Because of this, organizations must provide adequate training and ensure devices can be configured and managed in a way that provides the best possible user experience. Only recently have XR device manufacturers started to adopt unified endpoint management (UEM) standards, which is critical to a deployment’s success. As manufacturers continue to adopt these standards, this will allow organizations to manage XR headsets like they would any other endpoint (with features like the ability to manage software updates, device settings, security policies, and more).

Over the past few years, numerous XR-focused mobile device management (MDM) solutions have emerged to help enterprises manage AR and VR headsets. However, MDM doesn’t offer the same breadth of management capabilities as UEM, and adopting an XR-specific point solution can be costly and time-consuming. While it may meet your organization’s management needs in the short run (or for a particular device and use case), using an XR-only MDM solution creates management silos, as well as visibility and security issues for IT. They also can’t integrate with existing IT systems or support complex, large-scale deployments consisting of XR and non-XR devices and apps.

The solution: Support any XR headset at scale with Workspace ONE UEM

At VMware, we understand XR headsets have different technology requirements than traditional mobile devices and desktops, so we’ve been dedicated to delivering solutions optimized to support assisted reality, AR, MR, and VR devices. We’ve also partnered closely with the top XR device manufacturers to standardize enterprise management and support for XR headsets.

VMware Workspace ONE UEM is the only ISO 27001- and SOC 2-certified digital workspace platform consistently recognized as an industry leader by analysts, with comprehensive support for every device type and use case. For XR headsets, Workspace ONE enables zero-touch enrollment and configuration, advanced customization and access controls for shared devices, simplified app deployment and management, full device lifecycle management, and remote employee support. And because Workspace ONE was built for complex deployments, customers can easily support any XR headset at scale — alongside existing mobile devices and desktops — from a single console.

• Any use case at scale: Support the latest XR devices from HTC VIVE, Magic Leap, Meta, Microsoft, PICO, RealWear, and Vuzix, including the HTC VIVE Focus Series and XR Elite, Magic Leap 2, Meta Quest 2 and Quest Pro, Microsoft HoloLens 2, PICO Neo3 Pro and 4 Enterprise (4E), RealWear Navigator 500 Series and HMT-1 Series, and Vuzix M-Series and Blade 2.
• Streamlined staging: Save time and resources with zero-touch enrollment and configuration options, including QR scan, sideload, staged QR, batch configuration, automated, and scripted enrollment.
• Device management: Leverage extensive Android Device Policy support, remote configuration, certificate-based Wi-Fi configuration, and Simple Certificate Enrollment Protocol (SCEP). Easily track device state, manage passcodes, and perform remote lock and wipe.
• Application management: Remotely install and manage XR apps across devices and organization groups with version management, large file support, relay servers, content delivery network (CDN), and advanced condition-based installation and update schedules.
• Enterprise-grade security: Ensure devices are secure with directory integration, multi-factor authentication (MFA), conditional access, and per-app virtual private network (VPN). Enable single sign-on (SSO) into any XR app via VMware Workspace ONE Tunnel and VMware Workspace ONE Access.
• Shared device management and custom user experiences: Improve the security and usability of XR devices with the ability to lock devices into single or multi-app mode, configure device settings across worker roles, customize device UI, and enable check-in/check-out with VMware Workspace ONE Launcher (for assisted reality and AR headsets) and Workspace ONE XR Hub (for VR headsets).
• Purpose-built analytics and automation: Leverage insights and analytics to make data-driven decisions and drive automation to improve the digital employee experience (DEX) and strengthen security with VMware Workspace ONE Intelligence.
• Remote employee support: Remotely assist employees with tasks and issues in real time, directly from the Workspace ONE console, with VMware Workspace ONE Assist for assisted reality smart glasses.

Note: Management capabilities may vary by device type, manufacturer, and model.

To learn more, visit vmware.com/products/workspace-one/unified-endpoint-management, check out VMware Digital Workspace Tech Zone, or contact VMware Sales. Our team is ready to discuss strategies for how we can help you with your unique XR use case and more, today!