This weekend sees an update (ac.16) to our public cloud environment. This update is in tandem with improvements to OMNI subscription plans* and enhanced subscription management views in the console. This release also includes several bug fixes.
SO, WHAT’S CHANGING?
Simply put, we’re giving you more with your OMNI subscription plan. In part, this is so you can take full advantage of new functionality we are introducing in the upcoming Appspace App for Android and the Appspace App for iOS. Sound good? Read on.
GET MORE WITH OMNI
As you know, all OMNI subscription plans include Appspace IDs: a means of forecasting the number of administrative users who will log into the console, as well as devices that will be registered to your account. However, with the release of the Appspace App for Android / iOS, we will, for the first time ever, allow a non-administrative user to log into the Appspace App. This new type of user will be able to view privately shared information (such as reports, regional news, and team-specific updates), as well as information shared with everyone else in your organization.
To realize the full benefit of this, we’ve made improvements to all OMNI subscription plans. The great news is that you don’t have to do anything to get them.
First, Appspace IDs will become devices, and will solely be used for registering media players that power your digital signs, kiosks, video walls, and room booking. We’ll then be giving every OMNI subscription plan an allocation of users at no extra cost (woo, free stuff!). Each allocation of users is 5x that of devices (woo, lots of free stuff!).
Don’t worry, we haven’t lost the plot. There is a good reason why you will want a bigger allocation of users.
For starters, you’ll need them to register anyone who is going to perform tasks in the Appspace console. You’ll have some of these types of users already. You’re also about to have a type of user who is going to view private information shared via the Appspace App. You’re going to have a lots more of these. For anyone in your organization who does not need to receive private information, they can simply authenticate with your identity management system and pass-through to view the information you’ve shared with the entire workforce**.
Importantly, as part of the cloud update on Saturday 25th March 2017, all OMNI subscriptions will be automatically converted from a single allocation of Appspace IDs to separate device and user allocations. We don’t expect that you’ll immediately utilize of all the extra users, but you may find a use for the extra devices you can now register. 😀
THE APPSPACE APP FOR…
We expect that you’ll really start adding users when the Appspace App for Android / iOS is released. This will mark the availability of native app support for two of the leading industry-standard platforms, plus an optimized way for your people to view shared information on their smartphones and tablets (see below).
The Appspace App for Android / iOS are both expected to be in their respective app stores in April 2017.
Look out for more details of the exact release date soon, and contact an Appspace representative if you would like a demo.
IN SUMMARY
A fantastic enhancement to OMNI subscriptions, plus the upcoming availability of the Appspace App for Android / iOS. Combined, this enables you to engage with your workforce on a huge scale while keeping costs (more than) manageable. This further reinforces our commitment to provide your organization with a single platform that can deliver workforce communications via digital signage, kiosks, video walls, IPTV, dashboards, and an app on mobile devices.
As always, the full release notes (for ac.16) can be found on the Knowledge Center, just click here.
*Public cloud only. Private cloud customers will see subscription improvements when ac.16 is deployed to your private cloud.
**Excludes OMNI Free accounts.