Is Jamf Betraying Apple by Embracing Android?

Jamf, the Apple MDM giant, just threw Android a lifeline — but why?
For years, Jamf has been synonymous with Apple device management, helping enterprises deploy iPhones, iPads, and Macs at scale. Now, in a plot twist worthy of a tech thriller, they’re rolling out Android support starting July 2025. Is this a strategic masterstroke or an identity crisis? Let’s dive in.

🚨 The Elephant in the Room: Why Android?

• Mixed Device Fleets Are Reality: 78% of enterprises now support both Apple and Android devices (IDC, 2024). Even Apple-first companies often have Android holdouts in manufacturing, logistics, or C-suite teams.
• Competitive Pressure: Rivals like Hexnode and VMware already offer cross-platform MDM. Jamf risks losing customers who want a single pane of glass for all devices.
• Financial Pragmatism: Despite 10% YoY revenue growth ($167.6M last quarter), Jamf needs new revenue streams as Apple’s enterprise market matures.

✅ Jamf’s Android Playbook: Smart Strategy or Heresy?

Jamf for Mobile’s upcoming Android support isn’t about abandoning Apple — it’s about eliminating friction:

• ✅ Unified Console: Manage 1000+ Apple devices and 50 Androids in the same interface IT teams already know.
• ✅ Apple Experience Protection: “This prevents Android from becoming a distraction,” emphasizes CSO Henry Patel. No need to adopt clunky universal endpoint management (UEM) platforms.
• ✅ Financial Synergy: 16% international growth last quarter suggests global enterprises need hybrid solutions — especially in Android-dominated markets like India and Brazil.

⚠️ The Risks No One’s Talking About

• 🚧 Brand Dilution: Will “Apple-first” clients perceive Jamf as losing focus? 92% of Jamf’s revenue still comes from Apple ecosystem management.
• 🚧 Technical Debt: Android’s fragmentation (12 major OS versions in active enterprise use) could complicate Jamf’s famously “consumer simple” UX.
• 🚧 Apple’s Next Move: With WWDC 2025 weeks away, new Declarative Device Management features could reset the MDM playing field — leaving Jamf’s Android bet looking premature.

🚀 Final Verdict: Calculated Gamble or Genius Move?

Jamf isn’t abandoning its Apple religion — it’s building a chapel next door for Android stragglers. Success hinges on:

• 📈 Maintaining Apple-first credibility while supporting Android’s “edge cases”
• 🤖 Delivering seamless cross-platform UX (no small feat given Android’s complexity)
• ⌚ Timing — will Apple’s WWDC enterprise tools make this move obsolete?

As an IT leader, would you trust Jamf to handle your Android devices — or stick to pure-play Apple specialists? Sound off below!

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Source: Jonny Evans. Jamf brings Android into its Apple MDM orbit, May 12, 2025. https://www.computerworld.com/article/3983124/jamf-brings-android-into-its-apple-mdm-orbit.html