SHARE

Google Sends Android to Work with Divide BYOD App

Google is making moves to heighten Android’s profile in the enterprise. The tech giant quietly released a business-minded version of the Divide app on the Google Play store. The app, which delivers a secure containerized workspace, is available to invited participants of the Android IT Preview Program. The original Divide app remains available. The Android […]

Written By

Pedro Hernandez

Nov 21, 2014

Datamation content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More

Google is making moves to heighten Android’s profile in the enterprise.

The tech giant quietly released a business-minded version of the Divide app on the Google Play store. The app, which delivers a secure containerized workspace, is available to invited participants of the Android IT Preview Program. The original Divide app remains available.

The Android IT Preview Program is a Google-led technology initiative aimed at bolstering the mobile operating system’s presence in corporate “bring your own device” (BYOD) programs and helping businesses tackle the thorny issue of letting corporate and personal data intermingle on the same device. And not a moment too soon.

In August, IDC reported that smartphone vendors shipped a record 301.3 million units worldwide during the second quarter of 2014. Android accounted for a whopping 84.7 percent share of the market, indicating that handsets powered by Google’s mobile OS are an increasingly common sight in the workplace.

Later that same month, IDC forecast that by 2018, smartphone shipments will reach 1.8 billion units, compared to just over 1 billion in 2013. Growth will be fueled, in large part, by explosive adoption rates of low-cost Android devices in emerging markets, predicted the market research group.

Blending mobile device and application management (MDM, MAM) capabilities with productivity-enabling apps, Google’s technology keep business data secure and separate from personal data and apps. Early partners include AirWatch, MobileIron, Citrix, MaaS360 and SAP.

Google acquired Divide in May for an undisclosed amount. Announcing the deal in a brief blog post, the startup said it “was founded with a simple mission: Give people the best mobile experience at work. As part of the Android team, we’re excited to continue developing solutions that our users love.”

Months later, Google is offering select customers an early look at those efforts.

“Divide Productivity Preview provides a complete set of apps for business email, calendar, contacts, tasks, downloads to get your job done with speed, simplicity and security,” states the app’s Google Play listing. “With your IT manager’s support, Divide Productivity Preview is your gateway to your existing corporate Exchange/ActiveSync or Notes-compatible infrastructure.”

Included apps include an S/MIME-compatible Mail client and a Calendar with VIP alerts. The Contacts app supports directory lookup and can be used to export contacts into a personal address books. Rounding out the set are Tasks and Downloads, the latter of which allows users to save, share and view attachments.

Pedro Hernandez is a contributing editor at Datamation. Follow him on Twitter @ecoINSITE.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

Huawei’s AI Update: Things Are Moving Faster Than We Think

FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
December 04, 2020
Keeping Machine Learning Algorithms Honest in the ‘Ethics-First’ Era

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 18, 2020
Key Trends in Chatbots and RPA

FEATURE | By Guest Author,
November 10, 2020
Top 10 AIOps Companies

FEATURE | By Samuel Greengard,
November 05, 2020
What is Text Analysis?

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
November 02, 2020
How Intel’s Work With Autonomous Cars Could Redefine General Purpose AI

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 29, 2020
Dell Technologies World: Weaving Together Human And Machine Interaction For AI And Robotics

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
October 23, 2020
The Super Moderator, or How IBM Project Debater Could Save Social Media

FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
October 16, 2020
Top 10 Chatbot Platforms

FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
October 07, 2020
Finding a Career Path in AI

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Guest Author,
October 05, 2020
CIOs Discuss the Promise of AI and Data Science

FEATURE | By Guest Author,
September 25, 2020
Microsoft Is Building An AI Product That Could Predict The Future

FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 25, 2020
Top 10 Machine Learning Companies 2020

FEATURE | By Cynthia Harvey,
September 22, 2020
NVIDIA and ARM: Massively Changing The AI Landscape

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
September 18, 2020
Continuous Intelligence: Expert Discussion [Video and Podcast]

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 14, 2020
Artificial Intelligence: Governance and Ethics [Video]

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By James Maguire,
September 13, 2020
IBM Watson At The US Open: Showcasing The Power Of A Mature Enterprise-Class AI

FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 11, 2020
Artificial Intelligence: Perception vs. Reality

FEATURE | By James Maguire,
September 09, 2020
Anticipating The Coming Wave Of AI Enhanced PCs

FEATURE | By Rob Enderle,
September 05, 2020
The Critical Nature Of IBM’s NLP (Natural Language Processing) Effort

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | By Rob Enderle,
August 14, 2020

SEE ALL
ARTICLES

Pedro Hernandez

Pedro Hernandez is a contributor to Datamation, eWEEK, and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.

Google Sends Android to Work with Divide BYOD App

Pedro Hernandez

Recommended for you...

Company

Categories

Google Sends Android to Work with Divide BYOD App

RELATED NEWS AND ANALYSIS

Pedro Hernandez

Recommended for you...

Company

Categories