Apple acquires startup Fleetsmith to manage corporate Macs, iPads

Apple has acquired a startup called Fleetsmith that helps businesses manage Apple's Mac and iPad devices used by employees and enhance these devices' enterprise features.

Apple has acquired San Francisco-based startup Fleetsmith for an undisclosed sum.  (REUTERS)

Apple has acquired a startup called Fleetsmith that helps businesses manage Apple's Mac and iPad devices used by employees and enhance these devices' enterprise features. 

The acquisition of this San Francisco-based startup is Apple's push into the mobile device management industry which, till now, is a space that's been dominated by the likes of Microsoft and VMware. 

The startup announced this deal with Apple in a blogpost and Apple has confirmed it, but neither company disclosed the price. 

"We started Fleetsmith to balance the management and security needs of IT with the experience users love about Mac, iPad, and iPhone," said Zack Blum, CEO and Co-Founder, Fleetsmith in a statement. 

Apple is currently in the middle of its Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) 2020 that is being held virtually for the first time ever. 

Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off the conference with the keynote address on Monday night and announced a whole suite of software updates that are coming to its devices with the new OS' - iOS 14, watchOS 7, iPadOS 14, the new macOS which is called the Big Sur etc. 

With these new software updates Apple is focusing more on privacy, newer widgets and some significant additions to Apple Maps, Apple Watch's Health features etc.

Apple also announced that they are working on their own processors that will be used on Macs.