Apple launched Business Essentials as part of its subscription payment

an Apple Thursday released a new program for companies to set up, manage, and install software on workers’ iPhone, iPad and Mac devices.

The product, called Business Essentials, ranges from $2.99 ​​per month to $24.99 per month per worker. Allows the administrator or system administrator to install corporate apps, set passcode policies, track or turn off a lost phone or laptop, and provide access to cloud storage. At higher-cost tiers, users are given AppleCare credits so they can get repairs from Apple Stores.

Apple continues to offer more services that include a recurring billing subscription as it moves away from hardware dependence. Services are a focus of Apple investors, who value the stability and predictability of recurring revenue, and prefer this to the seasonality of device sales.

Apple’s services business grew 27% in 2021 to $68.4 billion as the company introduced subscriptions like Fitness+, which gives users access to a library of video workouts.

The new product is also a sign of Apple’s increasing focus on corporate sales and products that help companies navigate mixed business environments. Historically, although Apple has sold to enterprises, it has focused development and marketing on consumer products.

The attractiveness of the enterprise market is clear: google And the Microsoft Make a lot of money by selling tools and software to businesses and schools. However, Business Essentials is not a direct competitor to its products, as it operates Apple devices.

Apple said Thursday that Business Essentials is integrating with Microsoft Azure and Google Workspace systems so workers can sign in to their devices using the logins those companies manage.

The product is a competitor to Jamf and Kanji, which makes software called mobile device management that lets companies manage a fleet of Apple phones and computers. Apple says Business Essentials is aimed at small customers, primarily those without dedicated IT departments.

Although the product doesn’t currently limit the number of users it supports, Apple said it’s designed for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.