Apple’s newest subscription service is an IT management package for small businesses

Image: Apple

Apple's subscription service for small businesses, called Business Essentials, is now available for all businesses. This is Apple's vertical integration of device management and cloud storage under the Business Manager platform that companies already use to buy and manage their Apple hardware, which is designed for organizations with fewer than 500 employees. It also includes an optional new business tier of AppleCare Plus hardware coverage and the ability to call an Apple-trained tech in as little as four hours.

The rate for the subscription is starting at $2.99 per employee per month. The two-month free trial is available for companies that were part of the test.

Businesses that could use this package, or a third-party setup like it, probably already have access to Apple's Business Manager portal. Businesses and schools with Apple School Manager can reserve and distribute managed Apple IDs, so employees can accidentally make a personal Apple ID account. It can also purchase devices directly from Apple, acquire software licenses in the App Store, and more.

Small business customers can use Apple's service to push pre-configured packages directly to employees, which is the biggest change for IT management. Employees can view their setup, access support, or track repairs with the Business Essentials app. It used to be necessary to get deployment and management features on Apple devices. This setup can't do anything with mobile or desktop devices that aren't made by Apple.

Apple's new solution for Mac management might be compelling for small businesses that don't have the capacity in IT personnel. The starting price of $2.99 per month, per employee, covers one device and 50GB of iCloud storage, then jumps to $6.99 for 200GB and $12.98 for 2 terabytes.

An additional $7 per month is added for the single device tier, or an additional $13 per month for the three devices and 200GB iCloud tier, if you want to cover two repairs or replacements. A single employee can cost $24.99 per month with three devices, 2 terabytes of iCloud storage, and AppleCare Plus for Business, which saves $1 a month on the AppleCare.

To enroll in the new service, IT managers need to navigate to the company's existing Apple Business Manager site and click on the subscription menu on the sidebar. Service and support will appear on the sidebar menu once Enrolled. Other features include the ability to have employees set up business accounts on their own computers or phones, without the worry of risking business or private data.

Apple's new service presents an alternative to established solutions like Jamf, which is used by thousands of businesses and universities, works with Apple's Business / School Manager platforms, and has much more comprehensive features including security software solutions. For small businesses that just need to just easily enroll newly purchased Apple hardware, provide basic onboarding support, and only need to distribute software from Apple's App store repository, Apple's Business Essentials certainly might cover that.