Lenovo has greenlighted a portfolio of new enterprise-focused devices powered by the Esper Foundation – a custom Android operating system – and bundled with a complementary mobile device management (MDM) platform.
The company’s first device running the Esper Foundation is the Lenovo ThinkCentre M70a, an all-in-one desktop PC equipped with a 12th generation Intel Core i9 CPU, in addition to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and an SSD up to 512 GB . The Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q, M90n-1 IoT and the ThinkEdge SE30 v2 machines will follow at the end of 2023.
Esper Foundation is based on Android 11 and features customizable branding, peripheral compatibility, quarterly security patches, and three years of support. The MDM system deploys, manages and updates devices remotely from a single view.
What does this mean for Windows – and ChromeOS?
Integrating a modified version of Android into its PCs, Lenovo relies on the Esper Foundation OS that appeals to businesses as an alternative to Windows, as well as Google’s own ChromeOS.
Research from 451 showed that there is a growing interest in running Android not only on mobile devices, but also on devices powered by x86 CPUs, with almost nine in ten respondents suggesting this. But they recognized that there was very little support for such a platform.
“This collaboration is another step forward in Lenovo’s commitment to meeting evolving customer demands in retail, hospitality, healthcare and other industries,” said Johanny Payero, Lenovo’s director of Global Advanced Solutions Marketing and Strategy.
“Specialty devices are on the rise across several key industries, and our new joint solution with Esper allows us to deliver the best of Android with the consistency and predictability of Lenovo’s x86 devices.”
With platforms like Esper’s, there may be a way to find a rival that can compete with Windows in the enterprise, especially in very niche industries like retail, hospitality, and healthcare – which is what the Esper Foundation focuses on.
Google’s Android could also serve to undermine the ChromeOS operating system, should it become successful. Lenovo is still distributing ChromeOS-powered laptops and 2-in-1s, which means it may be hedging its bets. However, if it proves successful, manufacturers like Dell and HP – who don’t have Chromebooks – may look to make their own deals with Esper or similar platforms, meaning ChromeOS’ market share will continue to be squeezed out over time.