In 2015, EBF launched EBF Onboarder, a tool that enables the automated migration of devices, regardless of whether they run iOS, macOS, Android, or Windows. We have migrated almost 3 million devices to date and impressed users and administrators with the simplicity, effective communication, and transparency of the tool.
Ten years later, Apple has now also recognized that companies need support when switching UEM systems and has announced migration options with Apple Business Manager for the fall.
We compare the two options and take a look at how EBF Onboarder benefits from developments at Apple.
What has Apple announced?
How will the process work?
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In Apple Business Manager, administrators specify:
- the devices which are to be migrated
- the target UEM system
- the deadline for the migration
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After confirming the settings, users are prompted to perform the migration via a short push notification.
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Users can either perform the migration immediately or select “Not now.”
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Once users initiate the migration, the device downloads and installs the new UEM profile.
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If users have not completed the migration by the deadline, the migration is enforced. They will receive another migration prompt that cannot be dismissed.
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Admins can see which devices have already been migrated to the new UEM system in the new UEM system.
What are the differences to the EBF Onboarder?
There are numerous differences between an Apple Business Manager migration and the EBF Onboarder. The following aspects are particularly relevant for companies:
The EBF Onboarder can migrate all operating systems
The EBF Onboarder provides structure
Individual projects can be created in the EBF Onboarder – for example, for different locations, teams, or device types. These can be initiated at different times and easily tracked – which is essential, especially when dealing with large numbers of devices.
The EBF Onboarder offers extensive communication features
from invitations and reminders for those who have not yet migrated to success notifications – via email and/or push notifications, automated and controllable in a timely manner thanks to numerous configuration options. With Apple’s approach, all of this has to be done manually – which is time-consuming and significantly less target-oriented.
EBF Onboarder creates transparency with detailed and automated reports and identifies any problems immediately.
EBF Onboarder shows whether a device has been notified, whether users have been reminded, whether a device has been unenrolled, and whether it has arrived in the new target system. Apple Business Manager only reveals the last piece of information. Unmanaged devices and other problems remain undetected.
Overview
Apple Business Manager |
EBF Onboarder |
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|---|---|---|
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Supported operating systems |
iOS 26, macOS, Tahoe 26 |
iOS (all OS), macOS, Android, Windows
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Device selection |
Individual devices or groups filtered by device type |
Various options for grouping devices – including the option to assign devices to specific groups in the new UEM system |
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Project planning |
Manual initiation of migrations necessary for different groups |
Creation of different projects, scheduled, started automatically |
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Communication |
Limited to a short push notification |
Many templates for invitations, reminders, success messages, sent by email and/or push notification, sent automatically, time-controlled |
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Reporting |
Only an overview of devices already migrated to the target system available |
Real-time status information with extensive details – for transparency and problem identification |
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Compliance |
No compliance confirmation available |
Compliance confirmation available |
What does our experience with nearly 3 million migrated devices show?
- Communication surrounding a migration is crucial for high user participation. If the reason for the migration is not explained, users are less likely to initiate the migration. If users are not regularly reminded of the migration, the process will be delayed.
- Choices for users are important so that the migration does not disrupt operations. If users only receive one notification and click it away because it is not convenient at the moment or they cannot understand the request, it is very likely that the migration will ultimately be enforced and take place at a time that is not convenient for the users.
- Reporting options are important for identifying potential problems early on and tracking project progress. Especially when communication is based on status information and, for example, a reminder is sent for devices that have not yet been migrated, the process is significantly accelerated—without unnecessarily bothering users.
How can the EBF Onboarder benefit from this?
When Apple offers migration options, we naturally prick up our ears – and, admittedly, get a little nervous 🙂. But that was unfounded: Not only does the EBF Onboarder have numerous advantages over an Apple Business Manager migration and we offer in-depth migration experience – the EBF Onboarder will even benefit from the upcoming update. Why? Even now, only a few steps are necessary on the user side to perform the migration. In the future, we will be able to shorten these steps even further through integration for DEP Apple devices and reduce the migration to a single click. A browser will no longer be necessary for this.
What questions remain unanswered?
Some information is not yet known and is not apparent in beta versions. For example, it is not yet clear whether it will be possible to specify that migration should not be initiated if a device only has a Wi-Fi connection. Since this connection is withdrawn during unenrollment, enrollment in the new UEM system would then not be possible.
It will therefore be exciting to see what the fall releases actually bring – and we will of course be keeping a close eye on this. 🙂
Conclusion
The developments at Apple are definitely exciting! Not because a real migration alternative is opening up here – but because Apple’s move opens up new options for us to make the migration process even easier.
Apple Business Manager is probably only a real option for UEM migration for a few companies. This is not only because its scope of application is very limited, but above all because it does not address many of the aspects that have proven to be particularly important over the past 10 years with around 3 million migrated devices: strong communication, high user commitment, low support need, and transparency.
Anyone who wants to successfully migrate UEM systems should therefore rely on a solution that is much more than just a migration tool.
