Definition: Mobile device management (MDM) is software and procedures that companies use to set up, configure, secure and update mobile devices centrally. This includes smartphones, tablets, laptops and, more and more, virtual reality and mixed reality headsets. From a management console, IT distributes apps and content, enforces policies and can lock or wipe devices remotely.

Today, MDM is usually part of more comprehensive unified endpoint management (UEM) solutions, which also include desktop computers. For XR headsets, specialized vendors are established.

In B2B mechanical engineering, MDM is used for: tablet fleets in field sales, demo devices and headsets at the booth, kiosk terminals in the showroom, service tablets with maintenance content, and training headsets for operator training.

Advantage: Each device starts with the same apps, content and settings, and nobody has to set it up manually.

English: Mobile Device Management (MDM), Enterprise Mobility Management, Unified Endpoint Management
German: Mobilgeräteverwaltung, zentrale Geräteverwaltung

How It Works

Enrollment

You register a device with the MDM system one time. For company devices, this ideally happens automatically when the device is switched on for the first time:

  1. The device is registered in the manufacturer portal: For Apple through Apple Business (previously Apple Business Manager), for Android through zero-touch enrollment.
  2. First start: The device connects to the applicable MDM server and downloads its profile.
  3. The profile is applied: Wi-Fi, certificates, restrictions and apps are installed.
  4. Ongoing management: The MDM monitors the device status and distributes updates, content and new policies.

Typical functions

  • App and content distribution: Roll out apps and files such as 3D models, presentations or videos to many devices at the same time.
  • Configuration: Specify network, VPN, email, certificates and device settings centrally.
  • Security: Passcode rules, encryption, locking and remote wipe if a device is lost (see data security).
  • Updates: Schedule, enforce or defer operating system and app updates.
  • Inventory and status: An overview of battery level, storage, software version and location.

Kiosk mode

For trade shows, showrooms and training, kiosk mode is essential. It limits the device to one or a few approved apps. Notifications, system settings and the App Store are locked.

  • iPad: Single App Mode for supervised devices, controlled through MDM. Guided Access is the manual variant directly on the device.
  • Android: In the Android Enterprise profile for dedicated devices, lock task mode limits the device to individual apps.
  • VR headsets: XR-specific MDM solutions have their own kiosk interfaces in which only selected applications start.

MDM for VR and MR Headsets

Headsets have their own requirements: content is often several gigabytes large, many people use the devices one after another, and operation in the headset is unfamiliar for non-experts. The platforms handle this differently (as of October 2026):

Platform Management
Meta Quest Meta Horizon Managed Services (HMS) as a prerequisite for enrollment in an MDM; free of charge since February 2026
Pico Pico Business Device Manager and third-party MDM
Apple Vision Pro Apple device management, as for iPad and iPhone
Android XR devices Android Enterprise (Samsung Galaxy XR since April 2026)

Meta Quest: Meta stopped selling Quest devices and HMS for commercial use. Since then, HMS licenses are free of charge, and Meta promises support and access until January 4, 2030. HMS is still necessary for enrollment in an MDM. After that, the MDM does the daily management. A shared mode lets several people use one headset.

Apple Vision Pro: You manage the Vision Pro with the same MDM solutions as iPads. visionOS 26 added, among other features, Return to Service (the device is wiped and enrolls in the MDM again automatically) and adding devices to Apple Business later with Apple Configurator. For more about the operating system, see the entry visionOS.

Vendors: Specialized XR MDM solutions include ArborXR and ManageXR. For tablets and smartphones, general MDM and UEM solutions are common, for example Microsoft Intune, Jamf (Apple devices) or Relution from Germany, which you can also operate on premises.

B2B Applications

Sales: a uniform tablet fleet

A machine builder equips 40 sales representatives with tablets. Through the MDM, all of them get the same presentation app and the same product models. When a new machine variant is added, it is ready on all devices the next morning. When an employee leaves the company, the company data is wiped remotely.

Trade show: demo devices in kiosk mode

At the booth, tablets and VR headsets are ready for visitors. Kiosk mode prevents visitors from leaving the presentation or changing settings. Before the trade show, all devices get the current version centrally, instead of being prepared one by one at the booth.

Service: maintenance content in the field

Service technicians use rugged tablets with exploded views, manuals and augmented reality instructions. The MDM makes sure that the current documentation is always available, also for offline use in production halls without a network.

Training: headset pools

A training center operates ten headsets for operator training. The MDM installs training content, starts all devices in the same application and resets them after the training. Usage reports show which modules participants completed.

Design review: controlled access

For design reviews with confidential design versions, the MDM makes sure that content is only on registered devices, is encrypted and can be wiped if a device is lost.

Challenges

  • Costs and licenses: In addition to the MDM license per device, there can be costs for manufacturer services, setup and administration. Conditions change, as the Meta example shows. A calculation over the full service life is useful.
  • Vendor dependency: Some platforms require their own services for enrollment. Companies should check what happens when a support period ends.
  • Large content: VR applications and 3D data put a load on the network and storage. Distribution outside of trade show hours and local caches help.
  • Data privacy: MDM can record location and usage. For personal data, involve the works council and follow the data privacy requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Does every company with tablets or headsets need an MDM?

Not necessarily. For two or three devices with content that changes rarely, manual setup is often sufficient. From about a handful of devices, with frequent updates or with use at customer sites and trade shows, an MDM saves time and decreases the risk of incorrect configurations.

What is the difference between MDM and UEM?

MDM manages mobile devices. Unified endpoint management (UEM) extends this to all end devices, including Windows and macOS computers, and combines app, identity and security management. In practice, people often use the terms as synonyms.

What is kiosk mode?

An operating mode in which a device runs only one or a few approved applications. Users cannot leave the application and cannot change settings. It is suitable for booths, showrooms, reception areas and training.

Can I manage VR headsets with the same MDM solution as my iPads?

Partially. You manage Apple Vision Pro through Apple device management, as with iPads, and Android XR devices support Android Enterprise. Meta Quest and Pico are usually managed through specialized XR MDM solutions. Some of these send the device status to general solutions such as Microsoft Intune.

Where is the MDM data stored?

That depends on the vendor. Many solutions run as a cloud service, and some can also run in your own data center. For companies with strict requirements, it is worth looking at the server location, certifications and the recommendations of the BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security).

Industry Standards and Technologies

Devices and platforms: - Virtual reality – VR headsets - Mixed reality – MR headsets - Extended reality (XR) – umbrella term - visionOS – Apple's headset operating system - HoloLens – mixed reality headset - Android Enterprise – management of Android devices - Apple Business – enrollment of Apple devices

Management and security: - Data security – protection of company data - Data privacy – handling of personal data - Unified endpoint management – management of all end devices - Kiosk mode – restriction to approved apps - Zero-touch enrollment – automatic setup - Remote wipe – wiping if a device is lost

Content: - 3D model – digital geometry - 3D pipeline – preparation of 3D data - Augmented reality – AR applications on tablets - Immersive experience – presentations in the headset - 3D product configurators – interactive variants

Connectivity: - IoT – connected devices - Digital twin – digital image of the system - Sensors – device sensors