Google Apps gains remote admin controls for mobile

Google has launched new controls that let businesses remotely manage their employees' iPhone, Nokia E-series and Windows Mobile devices from the Google Apps control panel.

The controls, which went live on Thursday, let admins take charge of certain functions on any handset that supports Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync.

According to a blog post by Google mobile software engineer Bryan Mawhinney on Wednesday, the controls let admins remotely wipe data from lost and stolen devices, lock idle devices and set password parameters for handsets — all without needing a dedicated enterprise mobile server.

Businesses are able to start managing devices as soon as their users start syncing with Google Apps Premier and Education editions, Mawhinney wrote.

Google released its synchronisation tool for iPhone, E-series and Windows Mobile devices in September 2009, making it possible for Apps users to access and sync their cloud-hosted email, calendar and contacts from their handsets. The tool integrates this personal information with the device's native email, calendar and contact applications.