Using Apple Business Essentials, small businesses can provision iPhone, iPad and Mac devices using the Apple Business website, eliminating the need to hire an IT professional or similar. Once a device goes through the user enrollment process, it can receive specific apps hand-picked by the small business owner, along with VPN configurations and Wi-Fi passwords. For example, businesses can create different profiles in the portal for specific departments and users. Marketing would have a different set of apps available than sales, while workers in the field would have their own specific settings as well. All business-related information is kept separate from any personal data and information on the device. Apple Business Essential subscriptions start at $2.99 a month for a single device, providing 50GB of iCloud storage. You’ll pay $6.99 to manage up to three devices, getting 200GB of storage along with it. You can manage up to three devices and get 2TB of storage for $12.99 per month for users who need more storage. Customers, whether they participated in the beta or not, will get a two-month free trial to test out the service. The new AppleCare+ for Business Essentials plans include the same benefits as the standard plan but also include repair credits for, in some cases, onsite repairs and 24/7 support. Plans at $9.99 for a single device with one credit repair. For $19.99 a month, you’ll get two repair credits, with the same number of credits included in the $24.99 option (the price difference is due to the 2TB storage tier.) AppleCare+ for Business Essentials covers accidental coverage, but not theft and loss. However, subscribers gain access to onsite repairs in select cities (currently Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York City, and the San Francisco Bay Area) for the iPhone, with next-day appointments available for Mac, iPad and Apple TV devices enrolled in the program.
