Apple and T-Mobile announce small business program that includes iPhone 13 with Business Essentials for $50 per month

Earlier this year, Apple rolled out its Business Essentials plan for small businesses. The program includes device management, cloud storage, and support for a single monthly subscription. Companies could also add AppleCare+, which would streamline the process of servicing and repairing these devices.

“This is an all-new service from Apple that combines device management, storage, and support into a single subscription for small businesses, targeting up to approximately 500 employees,” me explained Susan Prescott, Apple's senior vice president of enterprise product marketing. at the time. "It's designed to make managing Apple devices, keeping them up and running, as fun as using them - or, at least, as easy as using them."

One key point is that it's designed for small businesses that don't necessarily have a dedicated IT staff. In this case, the responsibility often lies with the owner of the small business. Business Essentials offers a much easier way to manage up to 3 devices per user, pre-assign apps and services, and manage support and repairs. "This new service results in invaluable time savings for customers, including those without dedicated IT staff, that they can reinvest in their business," Prescott said.

Now Apple is partnering with T-Mobile to include Business Essentials and AppleCare+ in a monthly plan that includes an iPhone 13. It's $50 per month when you have at least six lines.

"T-Mobile's new Business Unlimited Ultimate+ plan for iPhone will combine Business Essentials with super-fast 5G service, a powerful new iPhone 13 and more, making computing even easier for small businesses , so they can do their best work,” Prescott said in a statement announcing the new plan.

This plan includes an iPhone 13 on T-Mobile's Ultimate+ plan, which includes unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data. It also includes 200GB of high-speed data for hotspot tethering, which honestly might be the best feature of all. If you've ever tried working remotely without WiFi for a while, you know you can easily exceed your mobile carrier's hotspot data limit.

Finally, the plan offers customers Wi-Fi via GoGo on Delta and Alaska Airlines, with service to United later this year, as well as unlimited text and data when traveling internationally. Considering how many people travel or work remotely, this is especially helpful.

Of course, the reason Apple is partnering with T-Mobile is that the plan includes Business Essentials and AppleCare+ on the iPhone 13. T-Mobile will also allow existing customers to add Business Essentials to an existing iPhone on a pro plan for $2.99 ​​per month, and will bill it directly to their T-Mobile account.

“Partnering with Apple is just one more way to support small businesses as they continue to be the source of countless jobs and innovations across America,” said Callie Field, President of T-Mobile Business Group, in a statement. "We're always looking for ways to deliver more value to our customers, and working with Apple gives us the opportunity to tackle a whole new problem for small businesses: IT management."

Traditionally seen more as a consumer brand, the country's second-largest mobile operator (by number of subscribers) has stepped up its efforts to win over businesses. With this in mind, it makes perfect sense to target small businesses, which aren't already locked into huge contracts with complicated procurement processes. Partnering with Apple to give these small businesses an easier way to manage their devices certainly makes the decision easier.

If you're a small business owner, chances are you're spending more time than you'd like on tasks that aren't the reason you started a business...