Trader Media Group (TMG), parent of UK Auto Trader, is set to replace its iPhone arsenal with Windows Phones. It's said that Android will not be considered as it has too many security vulnerabilities. In an interview with Computing, TMG CIO Tim Jones revealed that the company has operated in an iOS ecosystem for the last five years, because the iPhone was the more mature smartphone available on the market. But now the group is looking at alternatives.
Jones goes into some detail about Windows Phone and how the company is very much a "Microsoft shop":
"We are currently evaluating our mobile platform. I don't think we'd go down the Android route because they have a couple of security issues but we would go down more of the Windows Phone 8 route because they are more tightly integrated with what we want to do in the enterprise as we are very much a Microsoft shop."
He also explains that the current iPhone estate is controlled by a mobile device management solution from Airwatch. But while the iPhones are present on a corporate level, bring your own device (or BYOD) is more of a limited option:
"BYOD is not prevalent clearly where we have secure areas in which we take credit card payments in a typical call centre environment, for example. But on product floors, people rock up with their Macbook, so we just ensure that we have varying levels of connectivity that people can engage with. If you are using a TMG-provided laptop or phone then you are on more secure networks, if you bring devices yourself then you go onto our guest Wi-Fi and VPN in or use other services that are on the VPN."
Jones also states that technology is an important core part of Trader Media, which means getting the IT at the company right is an important mission. Especially when you're looking at around 300 technical members of staff in an organisation formed of 1,100. It'll be interesting to see where TMG goes with its transition and if we could see another Nokia succes story.
Source: Computing.co.uk
Rich Edmonds is a word conjurer at Windows Central, covering everything related to Windows, gaming, and hardware. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a device chassis. You can follow him over on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.
