Going to the office? BYO Apple Watch

• A herald of an expected tsunami of smart and IoT devices in the workplace
• Will existing BYOD policies be sufficient? Or will new ones be needed?

GORGEOUS. Beautiful. Actually useful. Epic.
 
The accolades above from the reviewers of the Apple Watch keep pouring in, and the new device – though not the first of its kind in the market – has the potential of becoming as ubiquitous as the iPhone or the iPod.
 
However, the expected popularity of the Apple Watch raises interesting challenges for CIOs (chief information officers) and IT managers.
 
READ ALSO: Russian startup delivers vocab-booster on Apple Watch
 
The Apple Watch is merely a herald of an expected tsunami of smart devices and Internet of Things (IoT) wearables into the workplace – the latest wave of the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) trend – that potentially opens up new risks to corporate data privacy and security.
 
It’s highly likely that the first Apple Watches in the workplace will be personally owned. Yet these devices would be able to interact with corporate networks; and access, download and store company data.
 
Other wearables (not the current version of the Apple Watch) come with built-in cameras. In fact, one of the more interesting features of the Apple Watch is the ability to tether to, and control, iPhones over a remote connection.
 
IT departments will be understandably worried about the impact of the Apple Watch on the workplace. Even though many organisations have already adopted BYOD policies, several new conundrums will pop up.
 
At the very top of the list: Is it appropriate to allow wearable devices to connect to enterprise networks? What if the device is already tethered to a smartphone that has already been given access?
 
Bear in mind that according to a study by Aruba Networks, the new generation of employees – dubbed #GenMobile – expect mobility at the workplace to be a given, so any blanket decision to ban such devices from the workplace will be highly unpopular.
 
In fact, almost two-thirds of study respondents say they use mobile devices to help them manage their work and personal lives better.
 
If the decision is made to accept Apple Watches and other wearables into the organisation, will existing BYOD policies that govern the use of corporate data be enough? Will new policies be required?
 
When tinkering with these policies, CIOs have to keep in mind the fact that there will be other IoT-based devices coming along that could be embedded into an employee’s clothing or even office pantry appliances.
 
In fact, the acronym ‘BYOD’ will soon have to be replaced with ‘BYOX,’ with the ‘X’ symbolising practically anything.
 
Once policies have been amended appropriately, then – and only then – can CIOs turn their attention to the underlying communications network.
 
Many IT organisations have already put in place solutions that can secure any mobile device that connects to corporate WiFi; giving them complete visibility of the number, type and frequency of mobile devices assessing their network.
 
What’s more, these platforms are also capable of enforcing flexible security policies that are capable of analysing – and acting on – the context of how an employee uses the mobile device.
 
For instance, an employee using an Apple Watch at a coffee shop to access corporate data may not be granted the same level of access as one who uses a PC during office hours. Depending on the context, different policies can be applied to make sure that the right balance between flexibility and security is met.
 
Given these considerations, CIOs will need to skilfully juggle the competing requirements to arrive at an enlightened BYOX policy that is most appropriate to company’s needs.
 
The Apple Watch certainly won’t make that juggling act any easier. But it will certainly make it more beautiful.
 
James Chia is managing director, South-East Asia, Aruba Networks.
 
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