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macOS Sonoma adds a new feature to Safari called “Add to Dock.” When this feature was announced, I was excited because I knew how much of a game-changer it would be for macOS adoption within the enterprise (with support from Apple). Web apps are the crown jewel of many enterprise tools, and Add to Dock significantly improves that.
About Apple@Work: Bradley Chambers managed enterprise IT networks from 2009 to 2021. Through his experience deploying and managing firewalls, switches, his mobile device management systems, his enterprise grade Wi-Fi, hundreds of his Macs, and hundreds of his iPads, Bradley has highlights how it works. Learn stories from the front lines of IT management, as IT managers deploy Apple devices, build networks to support them, and train users, and how Apple is improving its products for IT departments.
When I first started implementing macOS in 2009, I knew the power of web apps. We were already using Google Apps (now known as Google Workspace) for our customer’s domain. Of course, macOS Sonoma didn’t exist back then, so you had to use an app to create your own he web app. It went well! The Gmail app also had badges for unread messages. I originally created it for documents, email, and calendars. This was a great way to help people transition from a Windows world that was driven by Outlook access on Exchange (we did these two migrations around the same time).
Fast forward to today, and that same organization is still using Google Workspace, but has also added countless other “apps” such as an HR portal, student SIS, and more. “Add to Dock for Safari” would be convenient for users without having to access these apps. The bookmark screen becomes cluttered.
Apple should extend Safari’s ‘Add to Dock’ to device management
I really hope Apple plans a “Safari Add to Dock” feature as a device management API, which I wish we could have done this year. The idea here is similar to how an IT administrator can deploy his web apps in much the same way as traditional macOS apps. You can imagine a window that loads a URL, gives it a title, and even allows a custom icon (or default). You can then scope those apps to different device groups. Once the device is deployed, it can be automatically set up using the company’s SaaS product on the macOS dock from the first login.
There’s little reason to update these apps after installation, but it should become much easier to update URLs in the future. Let’s say a company installs a Payroll solution on a macOS dock, but then wants to change to a new solution. Device management support makes it easy to update and push URLs when cutover occurs to a new system. Assuming the login is behind his SSO login, the employee doesn’t need to do anything other than learn the new her UI, no new apps or new logins required.
I’ve been talking to some people in the MDM industry about alternatives until Apple releases them, but it still doesn’t seem possible even with scripts. This feature is a no-brainer for Apple and we hope to see it in macOS 15 in 2024.
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