Google To Start Certifying Android Smartphones For Business Use

Android’s fragmented nature means that the software support for devices can vary from one manufacturer to the other. While some OEMs are now promising major updates beyond two years, timely security updates are still rare. This tends to worry large organizations that don’t want to constantly deploy new devices or have to worry about security flaws in outdated devices. To put those customers at ease, Google will now start certifying Android devices for business use.

Google’s Android Enterprise Recommended program is going to certify devices which are more suited for business use. For a device to receive this certification it has to be running Android 7.0 or higher and must have support for zero-touch enrollment so that large organizations can quickly deploy a substantial number of devices.

There are several other requirements that these devices have to comply with before they can be certified. OEMs are also bound to release monthly security updates for these devices within 90 days of release from Google and they must also support the device for a minimum of three years.

Google will update these guidelines after every major Android release so they could be different down the line. Some of the first handsets in the Android Enterprise Recommended program include The original Pixel and Pixel 2 handsets from Google, the BlackBerry KEYOne and Motion, the Motorola X4 and Z2, and the Nokia 8.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Cellphones
Tags: Android, Google