By Noah Wasmer, chief technology officer and vice president of product management, mobile products, End-User Computing, VMware
I still remember the day back in 2002 – the first time I was able to get my work email on a Blackberry – it truly was one of the most empowering days in my life. For the first time, I felt connected and empowered to be in the know, and get things done from anywhere. Since then, the world of enterprise mobility has evolved significantly since the advent of the iPhone in 2007, then Google Android and more. We have faster and greater access to proprietary corporate information on-demand than ever before, using any device – from smartphone to tablet, smartwatch to Tesla. I have had the great privilege in being involved in this Mobility revolution, at Apple, where I worked on the iPad, and now at VMware where I lead Mobility products in End-User Computing.
For business users, the most mission critical application is email, followed quickly by content and business apps that contain the data, insights, and information to master their job. We all love the native email experience across iOS and Android devices but what if they were optimized for businesses with the security and control that they require?
This is why we are doubling down with the planned acquisition of Boxer, Inc. Upon closing of the acquisition, the combination of Boxer and AirWatch by VMware will create a world-class suite of services that will enable businesses to provide their employees with secure access to their email, content and apps.
The Boxer team, which will join the AirWatch team, has developed a mature personal information management (PIM) solution for enterprises that offers a container approach to mobile application management and security. Boxer has partnered with industry leaders and supports market leading productivity, enterprise and social networking solutions including Box, Dropbox, Evernote, Facebook, Gmail, iCloud, Salesforce, Twitter, Outlook and Yahoo, just to name a few.
What if this suite could be well integrated into an ecosystem of apps through a standard like ACE? Imagine, your apps and your data – seamlessly working together with one unified identity and NO logins or configurations – consumer simple, enterprise secure.
The team at Boxer understands that enterprise IT has to earn the right to be on the user’s device by creating a “consumer grade” user experience that is precise and blazing fast. Their success in this area has been led by their consumer solution which has earned rave reviews for its simplicity and usability. Boxer has carried those attributes over to their enterprise solution which aligns with the VMware End-User Computing philosophy of “consumer simple and enterprise secure.” The Boxer team will continue development of its consumer solution, which is available for download on the Apple and Google app stores.
For years, AirWatch has delivered mission critical business information to mobile users, while enabling best-in-class enterprise security and a good user experience. We made enterprise mobility simple by building a management foundation focused on a single console that can support the complete spectrum of business needs – from securing corporate-owned devices to streamlining access to information, apps and content needed for optimal productivity.
This is no small endeavor – AirWatch has invested heavily into these business apps, including an email inbox, calendar, contacts, content aggregation, secure browsing and even services like video and teaching tools.
The investment has paid off. For thousands of companies worldwide, AirWatch apps are the mission critical centerpiece of productivity from flight decks to hospital floors, classrooms to courtrooms, to the tune of millions of users.
However, we believe that we have only scratched the surface of the potential for business mobility, and we are taking it to the next level by further driving our vision of consumer simple, enterprise secure with Boxer.
Boxer is an incredible infusion of team, technology and vision that will be merging with our existing people and solutions at AirWatch upon closing to create something spectacular in 2016 and we can’t wait to show you what’s next, so stay tuned!
