Jamf announces Jamf Setup and Jamf Reset to enable shared iPad deployments outside of education

Bradley C | Oct 24 2018 - 7:00 am PT

Jamf has just announced a new pair of apps aimed to allow iPad and iPhone to be used in more situations in the enterprise market. While Apple has had a shared iPad deployment model for the past few years in K–12, it’s never been extended to enterprise use. For Jamf Pro customers, here’s how to set up shared iPad.

Jamf Pro customers can use Smart Groups (one of my favorite features) to provision an iOS device for the exact needs of a user. Customization options include apps, wallpaper, Home Screen layout, restrictions and more. IT departments can then deploy devices and let users configure the devices themselves through Jamf Setup. Jamf Setup will communicate that selection back to Jamf Pro (which will then provision the right apps, layout, etc.)

The new Jamf Setup app gives a new option between a single layout and Apple’s Shared iPad technology. Users will be able to easily select the appropriate type of employee (pharmacist, nurse, doctor, student, teacher, etc.), and then Jamf Pro will configure as needed (without a username or password). All of this happens over the air, so no additional hardware is needed.

The Jamf Reset app enables an easy reset workflow after an employee or student is finished with the device. A user can trigger a complete wipe and be confident their data is erased. Instead of going in the Settings menu, users can select the Reset app from the Home screen. The device will then be completely reset (and ready for the next person). The entire process happens without any interaction from IT departments, so it’s scalable for all organization sizes.

“Jamf Setup and Jamf Reset introduce a new paradigm in the shared-device deployment model,” said Dean Hager, CEO, Jamf. “Whether a guest, patient or employee, end users now have the power to have a customized device experience. And, IT administrators have a scalable re-provisioning workflow and the ability to get more from a smaller pool of devices.”

Jamf Setup and Jamf Reset are free for Jamf Pro customers, and they will be available on the App Store later today. From first glance, this is going to make it a lot easier to set up shared iPad. 9to5Mac is on-site at the Jamf Nation User Conference, so we will have more information as it becomes available.