Google has launched a new tool called Android Enterprise Essentials to help businesses manage mobile security.

The tool is geared towards small and medium-size businesses.

“We’re announcing Android Enterprise Essentials, a secure mobile management service built by the Android team to make it easy to protect your business devices and data,” Google announced in a blog post

“We’ve leveraged our experience building Android Enterprise device management and security tools for the world’s largest organizations, and distilled this functionality down to a critical set of default features designed for businesses with simpler needs and smaller budgets,” it added.

The tool offers features such as mandating lock screen and encryption on devices to prevent unauthorised access to company data. It also enforces mandatory malware protection on devices by keeping Google Play Protect always on. This restricts employees from downloading apps outside of the Google Play Store.

The tool also provides organisations with the ability to wipe all company data from a device in case it’s lost or stolen.

“These core features are applied automatically, so there’s nothing for users to configure and no extensive management or training is required. Just purchase devices and ship or hand them off to employees with persistent policies already in place,” explained Google.

The tool also works for larger organisations who want to extend core device protection.

Customers who wish to migrate to more sophisticated device management in the future can also try it out.

The tech giant will begin the initial roll-out in collaboration with distributors Synnex in the United States and Tech Data in the United Kingdom.

It is planning to make Essentials available through additional resellers and take the service global starting early next year.

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