
Virtualization and Cloud executives share their predictions for 2014. Read them in this VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed article by Henning Volkmer, president and CEO of Cortado
App Virtualization is a PC-Only Event
There
are still those who don't want to come to terms with reality, but the truth is
that Apple's iOS 7 has lead to the death of app virtualization, more
specifically app wrapping, on post-PC devices.
For
about two years, app wrapping was thriving and healthy. Many looked to it to
conquer the Mobile Application Management (MAM) market by "wrapping" an
additional layer of security around popular applications written for iPad,
iPhones and various Android devices. Their then-current MAM solutions would
control the flow of data in and out of "wrapped" applications as well as
certain aspects of their behavior. But, app wrapping proved a tedious process,
rife with both legal (licensing) and technical challenges.
It
was soon discovered that there were never more than one to two dozen
applications available for any MAM platform. Further adding to this setback, it
was impossible for one platform to be used on another. Vendors who lacked
market share were forced to compete with one another for the most popular
applications. This severely limited the number of applications available. While
this would not have been an issue in the past, it certainly is today for a
company's official IT channels.
Today's
users have more leverage than ever to demand the apps they want over those that
IT or management pick for them. If their preferred app is not available, users
will simply download it and use one of a vast number of cloud services to bring
their data to the application. This is not only inefficient, but could be
prohibited by company policy. For example, even the highest-ranking lawmakers
of major western countries are ignoring national policies to use the device or
service of their choice. If not even the law could control users, companies needed
to find a way to adjust!
Apple
and Samsung quickly realized the need for a more effective form of application
management. Ergo, Samsung SAFE/Knox and iOS 7 were introduced. Both aim to
provide more business-friendly features that enable a balance of power between
productivity and security amongst users, without disturbing the user
experience.
Perhaps
the biggest game changer is iOS 7's "Managed Open-In" feature, which enables central
management of an application during data exchange with other applications. It
is the ideal addition to an on-premise solution for access to enterprise
resources like files, databases and internal apps and can differentiate between
personal and work data. "Managed Open-In" creates a native container on the
device, avoiding the technical and legal usability challenges associated with
app wrapping.
In
the end, those who invested incredible amounts of time, effort and money in app
wrapping never came close to competing with the managed apps offered in the iOS
and Android ecosystems, and the launch of iOS 7 officially nailed the coffin
shut. The industry must pay its condolences to app wrapping and instead move on
to native, unmanaged solutions, such as Samsung SAFE/Knox and iOS 7, that will provide
a more dynamic way of doing business with a perfect balance between security
and productivity.
##
About
the Author
Henning Volkmer is the president and CEO of Cortado,
Inc., driving the execution of the company's strategy as the leading innovator
of the business class of cloud desktop services across the Americas.
Volkmer has established a broad technological background
and has been at the forefront of mobile technology trends for the past
seventeen years. In addition to holding various positions within the Cortado
group, Volkmer served as part of a project team focused on reducing costs in
the network infrastructure division with what is now Nokia Siemens Network.
Under Volkmer's direction, ThinPrint brand has increased
its lead as the premier print management software, while Cortado brand has
become recognized as a pioneer business solution, shaping the future of the
cloud desktop.
Originally from Berlin, Germany, Henning currently resides in Denver,
CO.