Unified endpoint management (UEM) is a strategic IT approach that consolidates how enterprises secure and manage an array of deployed devices including phones, tablets, PCs, and even IoT devices.
As hybrid work models have become the norm, “mobility management” has come to mean management of not just mobile devices, but all devices used by mobile employees wherever they are. UEM tools incorporate existing enterprise mobility management (EMM) technologies, such as mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM), with tools used to manage desktop PCs and laptops.
Like the EMM suites they evolved from, UEM platforms help companies secure their mobile infrastructure, as well as control device policies and manage mobile apps, content, networks, and services. UEM tools merge those capabilities with functionality typically found in client management tools (CMTs) used to manage desktop PCs and laptops on a corporate network.
With the ability to create policies that can be deployed to many devices and operating systems, UEM products reduce both manual work and risk for IT. They also deliver insights into how devices and apps are used by employees, which can be used to improve cross-functional workflows. Most recently, some UEM platforms have begun incorporating generative AI features.
Download our chart to see which features and functions eight major UEM platforms offer across nine categories, from device and application management to security, analytics, and automation. Computerworld thanks Phil Hochmuth, program vice president for endpoint device management and enterprise mobility at IDC, for his guidance on the features and vendors included in the chart.
This chart was originally published in May 2013 and most recently updated in March 2025.
