Android 13 brings a pretty big update to the end-user work profile experience and the Android Enterprise management experience for IT admins.
With a work profile enabled, Android separates personal and corporate apps, as well as data and usage. This includes in the app drawer, where you’ll get two instances of certain apps, such as Gmail, Calendar, and Google Drive.
Android 13 delivers “simpler design, improved productivity, and new cross-device features” for business profiles. Employees can choose to open an app in the personal or work profile “depending on where it’s installed.” Users can also switch between professional and personal photo galleries when sharing photos with an app. In addition:
If they prefer to keep work-related content out of their personal apps – so that a work-related training video on YouTube doesn’t affect their personal watchlist, for example – they can choose to access this content in their browser instead.
On the productivity front, “smart dictation is now available in work profile apps on Pixel devices,” with dictation recommendations (like corporate lingo) separated from personal conversations. Meanwhile, work apps/profiles on Android 13 can use NFC for digital access badges and tap-to-pay. An upcoming feature will let you use Phone Hub to reply to and access work messages, notifications, and photos on mobile devices from a corporate Chromebook.
Meanwhile, a central hub will allow employees to “manage device security and privacy settings, and view company policies enforced on the device as well as device data shared with IT administrators”.
Looking ahead, Android 13 is getting a Lost Mode that lets IT admins “lock down and locate company-owned devices, prevent unauthorized access, and display company contact information onscreen.” of the device”. Another upcoming feature is “Stay Private on Work Wi-Fi”:
…will further enhance employee privacy by automatically encrypting and routing network traffic for personal profiles when employees are on corporate Wi-Fi. Both features will be available through the Android Management API.
Administrators also have more control over device Wi-Fi for tethering, Wi-Fi Direct, and security logs (including Bluetooth and password activity). Finally, Android 13 allows Google to bring all “new management features and capabilities” more frequently, as the Android Management API can now control user settings and device provisioning.
Learn more about Android 13:
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