Esper, an enterprise grade Android Device Management platform, and Lenovo, the global technology powerhouse, signed a reseller agreement.
The agreement allows Lenovo to sell a portfolio of devices running enterprise-grade Android and dedicated device management from Esper, making it easier for enterprises to deploy, manage, and update dedicated PCs across their operations.
Lenovo OEM Solutions facilitated the integration of hardware and software to help deliver the joint solutions. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M70a 3rd Gen desktop is the first of four planned x86 platforms to run Esper Foundation for Android, an enterprise grade powerful and robust custom OS for x86 and ARM devices. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q, M90n-1 IoT, and the ThinkEdge SE30 v2 will be added by the end of the calendar year. As businesses continue to look to Android and the Android ecosystem for greater flexibility and efficiency, Lenovo’s new reliable, configurable, and long-lasting x86 solutions, powered by Esper, will accelerate customer adoption.
“This collaboration is another step forward in Lenovo’s drive to meet changing customer demand across retail, hospitality, healthcare, and other industries. Dedicated devices are proliferating across several key industries, and our new joint solution with Esper allows us to deliver the best of Android with the consistency and predictability of Lenovo’s x86 devices,” said Johanny Payero, Director of Global Advanced Solutions Marketing and Strategy, Lenovo. “We are focused on giving customers the ability to deploy devices quickly, remotely managing those devices in the field, and continuously releasing software updates to those devices to deliver exceptional experiences.”
Enterprise-Grade Android Increases Flexibility & Cost-Efficiency
In addition to configurations with Windows and Linux, customers who are looking to build or update their Android device fleet now have the option to build their ThinkCentre M70a desktops with Android. Customers will benefit from Android’s flexibility, global familiarity, cost-efficiency, and large developer pool.
The ThinkCentre M70a 3rd Gen is a 21.5″ all-in-one touchscreen desktop that comes with up to 12th Gen Intel Core i9 processor, up to 16 GB SODIMM DDR4 3200MHz, and up to 512 GB PCIe SSD. The PC is supported by Esper Foundation for Android, which comes with enterprise-ready Android 11 with customizable branding, peripheral compatibility, quarterly security patches, long term support (minimum 3 years), Esper Seamless Provisioning, and app and system crash notifications.
The Esper dedicated device management platform remotely deploys, manages, monitors, and updates devices from a single pane of glass. Esper’s platform also automates IT operations workflows and reduces unplanned downtime and expensive in-field IT support—significantly reducing OpEx.
“I am excited to work with Lenovo to deliver a solution that comes with a robust Android operating system, purpose-built for dedicated device use cases,” said Shiv Sundar, COO and Co-Founder, Esper. “Customers globally are seeing significant value in running mission-critical operations on Android tablets and now they’re going to benefit from Lenovo’s world-class x86 devices and form factors. Ultimately, with Lenovo, we’re seeing Esper customers moving fast, innovating, and delivering delightful customer experiences.”
Android and the Dedicated Device Market
While Android is the most popular operating system for edge devices globally, it’s also becoming the popular operating system for enterprise dedicated device use cases, according to a 2022 report by 451 Research. Android (including AOSP and Android with Google Apps, or GMS) accounted for 41% of the device estates of those surveyed, alongside Microsoft Windows (26%), Apple iOS (24%), and Linux (8%). Organizations running a significant portion of their device fleets on Android report the primary reasons they use Android are its lower total cost of ownership, strong platform and app developer tools, and its robust security features.
There is also a high level of interest in running Android on devices with x86 (Intel and AMD) processors. Nearly 9 in 10 of respondents indicated an interest in a solution for Android on x86 devices. Among the greatest perceived challenges of using Android for dedicated device fleets, 23% cited no official support for x86 devices. With Lenovo and Esper’s joint solution, customers finally have a complete offering to meet their needs.
