More Android users will be able to use the work profile feature next year
Next year, according to Engadget, more Android users will be able to separate their work apps from their personal apps using Google Workspace. Google currently allows enterprise users to use the work profile feature which allows employees to separate their work apps from their personal apps. When the phone's work profile is paused, work-related apps won't be able to send notifications or obtain the user's location preventing a company from finding out where the user is when not at work.
The work profile keeps company data secure while also keeping personal data private and separate from work-related apps and data
Google says, "This will eventually allow anyone using Android for business purposes to separate work and personal apps in one interface and pause all work-related apps in one click." The idea is to keep company data secure while keeping personal data private. In the work profile, company data is protected and is kept separate from personal apps and data.
Work apps are distributed through Google Play and personal apps are hands-off as far as the IT department of the company the user works for is concerned. In fact, even if that company owns the device that the employee is using, personal apps and data are protected. Personal devices need to have Android 5.1 or later while company-owned devices must run Android 8.0 or later.
The Android team goes on to say that "The Android work profile delivers a dedicated, secure work experience that separates work and personal apps on a single device. It offers employees privacy from IT for their personal app usage, a great productivity experience with familiar work tools, and digital wellbeing controls to help employees tune out distractions and turn off work apps when they want to disconnect."
In case you need a definition of the work profile that dives deeper, Google says, "A work profile is a separate area of an Android device for storing work apps and data. Work profiles provide platform-level separation of work apps and data, giving organizations full control of the data, apps, and security policies within a work profile. At the same time users retain privacy over their personal apps, data, and usage."
You must own the Android phone in question in order to delete a work profile
Google adds, "On devices designated as company-owned during setup, organizations can enforce some policies that apply to a device’s personal profile and overall device behavior. The work profile user experience is seamless—work profile notifications and icons of apps installed in a work profile are marked with a work badge (briefcase icon) so users can distinguish them from personal apps."
To determine whether your Android phone has a work profile, go to Settings > Accounts. If the device in question does have a work profile, it will be listed in the Work section. On some devices, work profiles are listed under Settings. The only way you can delete a work profile is if you personally own the device, or if your company hands over ownership of the phone to you.
To delete the work profile go to Settings > Accounts > Remove work profile. Tap on delete to erase all of the apps and data found in the work profile. Make sure that the "Policy app" (Device Policy) is uninstalled. After the work profile is deleted, Google notes that all local data on the phone that was within the profile is also deleted. Google also points out that another way to delete all apps and data (both work and personal) is to perform a factory reset on your device.
It is not clear yet exactly when next year Google Workspace users will be able to create their work profiles.
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