Good news: The PM67 mobile computer, easily recognized with its full physical keypad, is now part of the Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) program–making it the 6th device from Point Mobile to do so. Run by the Android 11 operating system, PM67 passed all the latest requirements Android has set for AER devices. The long list of requirements includes minimum CPU clock speed, architecture, ingress protection, and more, to make sure devices are suitable for professional usage. Manufacturers are also required to provide prompt security update and patches the program requires. Find more about what it takes to be an AER device in my previous post: Google’s guide for choosing enterprise devices.
List of Point Mobile devices found on Android Enterprise website
More information about PM67
PM67 is a device with industrial-grade ruggedness. It’s designed to withstand 1.5m (5ft) drops and is IP67 rain/dust proof. PM67 is powered by 2.0GHz octa-core processor and 3GB RAM/32GB ROM. With the full physical keypad for accurate data input and 1D/2D scan engine, it’s a device suitable even for harsh industrial settings.
Shortly after its release to the market, PM30 has successfully passed all the requirements to join the Android Enterprise Recommended initiative, a program led by Google which helps businesses select the right hardware and service.
To be part of the program, devices have to match a strict set of minimum specifications, such as Android version, CPU clock speed, architecture, ingress protection, and more. Derek’s post gives a great overview about the requirements, so make sure to read it if you haven’t done so already.
Now part of Android Enterprise Recommended: PM30
New requirement: Publishing security update information
Each year the program evolves, leading to new requirements in order to be validated. This time, the focus is mainly on improved transparency regarding security updates. Manufacturers must now publish security update information on their websites and link Google’s Security Bulletins to it, including the date until when security updates are released and details about the fixes contained in each respective update, as well as any manufacturer-specific fixes.
We have already adjusted our website to those requirements, which can be found here or if you navigate to Products ? Business Solutions ? PULS. From there, scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you’ll see all the latest security related information. At this point, only PM30 appears on the list, but other products of our line up (that are listed in the AER program) will be added shortly.
Latest patch information of our products can be found in the PULS section of our website
More info about PM30
The PM30 is an IP67 rated mobile computer with a 4.7in screen, a drop spec of 1.5m (MIL-STD-810G), a 2.2GHz Octa-core processor, and 4GB RAM/64GB ROM as standard. It also marks the thinnest and lightest mobile device in our line up, making it easy to carry and operate. What’s remarkable is that despite its small size, we managed to put a slim imager engine in it, an optical fingerprint reader, and wireless charging technology. Specifically for the healthcare market, we introduced a white version (PM30hc).
Browsing Android Enterprise Recommended website on lap top computer.
Although enterprise mobility devices have a relatively smaller market than consumer smartphones do, still there are thousands of devices with different specs and form factors to confuse you. To make it worse, while you can easily get reviews and comparisons of the latest smartphones through videos and blog posts created by well-renowned tech journalists or YouTubers, this is not the case for enterprise mobile devices. There is simply not much insightful public information you can get by just googling. When it comes to Android devices, however, there is one northern star that guides you through the rough terrain of scattered information: Android Enterprise Recommended.
What is Android Enterprise Recommended?
Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) is a program led by Google, designed to help businesses choose high-quality Android devices as well as software solutions. It is a list of validated devices against strict requirements, and through a public platform, it encourages manufacturers to match those requirements and register their devices to the program. The AER directory categorizes products by form factor, manufacturer, memories, etc., in which you can easily navigate it through to the product that you need. Currently, Point Mobile has five devices (PM30, PM451, PM90, PM45, and PM85) listed as Android Enterprise Recommended, and planning to register many more new products in the future, such as the PM67 or the upcoming PM75.
Point Mobile devices in Android Enterprise Recommended directory
What are the requirements that Google inspects?
Depending on the type of the device and the version of OS, Google sets a different standard. For a rugged device with Android 11.0, for example, it needs to be equipped with at least 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM, a processor faster than 1.1GHz, IP54 water/dust resistance, and MIL-STD-810G drop resistance. To keep the general user experience excellent, AER also requires manufacturers to include Google’s default system apps, additional device management apps and encourages them to follow the specific guidelines about how to design their interface, so that customers can enjoy standardized and intuitive experiences across different devices.
The security update standard requires manufacturers to publish update within 90 days with an announcement on their websites that has link to it from Google’s Security Bulletins. As most businesses buy devices in bulk and manage a fleet of mobile computers, AER states that manufacturers must offer at least two of the next three solutions: work profile management, full device management, dedicated device management.
Much sought after: Android Enterprise Recommended Badge
Advantages of certified devices for businesses
So, why do manufacturers and software companies keep registering their products to AER? And why should buyers consider choosing a device or service from that list? Well, the answer is simple: AER guarantees that a product matches the minimum level of specs to be suitable for enterprise use, in terms of performance, security, and availability. The sheer amount of available products (of any kind really) can be confusing, and buyers don’t have time to check every single product on the market. So by recommending products that are safe to be used in a professional environment, Google is giving us a hand which makes it a lot easier to choose the right product.
There was a time when Windows Mobile PDAs monopolized the market and it wasn’t even that long ago. Around 2012, Android started to take over a big chunk of the enterprise mobility industry and is now considered the operating system of choice without thinking for mobile devices in retail, transport & logistics, warehouse management, delivery service, etc.
While Android is now an excellent operating system for both general consumers and businesses, you may wonder if it would go through the same decline that happened to Windows Mobile – at least when it comes to enterprise devices. For me, this question began to feel more tangible when I accidentally encountered the fact that Google’s thought-provoking new operating system, Fuchsia, has been roaming around the internet for years. And the more I think about it, the more exciting future I see in this OS, especially when used for large business operations.
What is all the fuchs about?
So basically, Fuchsia is an operating system built from scratch. Unlike Android or Chrome OS, it does not run on a Linux kernel. The replacement is called Zircon – much younger than decades-old Linux and developed by Google itself. If you look at what Zircon kernel is built for, you’ll see why it sounds so promising for businesses who are eager to innovate for better productivity. This so-called micron kernel was designed to scale any application from embedded RTOS to mobile and desktop devices of all kinds. Obviously, that means Fuchsia was developed with the Internet Of Things in mind since it has the ability to run an electronic device as simple as a smart lightbulb and all the while running the latest desktop with a powerful main processor.
While consumer smartphones and personal computers are getting connected ever more than before thanks to the efforts of software developers in tech giants, all the new smart devices appearing in our homes every year seem still far from being “seamlessly connected” yet.
For businesses, the perfect connection and cooperation among all the smart devices, computers, and machines look even further away, although it makes perfect sense to make it happen. Amazon’s gigantic fulfillment centers are using more and more robots and machines, and retail businesses are getting more and more dependent on smart devices that help them achieve true digitalization and automation. For them, the OS that runs anything with a copper brain would be huge benefits already right now.
Concept image of Google Fuchsia on PM30 mobile computer
Fuchsia could solve many issues at once
As I mentioned already, Android is dominating the market and it does that for very good reasons. However, there are problems: Too many manufacturers build customized versions, updates are not passed on to users in time and there is an alarming number of threats and attacks. With a new platform from scratch, Google could eliminate those problems once and for all.
Will Fuchsia replace Android?
So someday, when Fuchsia devices are coming out to the market and solution-providers take on developing a new business solution that counts dozens of different devices with alien form, function, and technologies to each other and integrates them into one system, this might be a game-changer for big businesses. The current Enterprise Mobility Management solutions might expand to control and monitor not just traditional mobile computers or PCs, but also all-new kinds of machines, robots, etc.
For now, there are only assumptions about what Google (or other companies) would do with Fuchsia OS, and Google officially stated in 2019 that while Fuchsia is not a replacement for Android, as it is targeted at “modern phones and PCs”. As Fuchsia is still under development and won’t see the light of day very soon, Android is going to keep dominating enterprise mobile devices for years to come. However, when the change starts, I can foresee that whole new types of devices coming into the market.
