What is EDLA?

At the end of 2022, Google introduced a new program – Enterprise Devices Licensing Agreement (EDLA), that is aimed at helping manufacturers provide their customers with Android-based devices that have Google Mobile Services (GMS) built in, combined with a comprehensive suite of security features.

What are the benefits of an EDLA certified device?

As well as giving users the ability to seamlessly integrate with the Google Workspace tools (e.g. Meet, Docs, and Slides) and allowing them to access and install their favorite apps from the Google Play Store, EDLA certified devices offer the reassurance of compatibility and security.

The advanced security protections offered by these devices include password protection, data encryption, the ability to manage them using Google Admin tools, and security patches from Google for the lifetime of the Android operating system (OS) that the device is running.

Do I need an EDLA certified IFPD? 

Whilst the advantages of the EDLA program are tremendous from both a user’s perspective and from an IT point of view, it is worth noting that IFPDs that have a built-in EDLA-certified operating system will reach a point in time whereby the operating system is no longer supported and thus no longer certified. For a truly secure option, non-OS IFPDs that use a modular approach, whereby the computing device can easily be swapped out when the time comes, offer a more long-term solution that maximizes the investment made in the panel itself.