14 DAY TRIAL // Alongside iOS 7.1 and Xcode 5.1, Apple this week deployed an updated version of its Configurator tool used for mass configuring and deploying iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices in schools, businesses, or institutions.
Last month a rumor broke out that Apple was set to discontinue the allegedly unreliable Configurator app in favor of a new MDM enhancement as part of the iOS 7.1 rollout.
The report in question (from AppleInsider) stated that “An unverified source reported to AppleInsider that Apple is working with a select few MDM vendors and institutional clients on efforts to improve iOS managed deployment, and that those improvements are currently set to ship as part of iOS 7.1 ‘around March 15’.”
Having offered the site a lot of “concrete information,” the publication was confident enough to also report that Apple would discontinue its Configurator app in favor of the MDM update.
As it turned out, Apple not only didn’t phase out Configurator, it actually gave it a leg up. Apple Configurator version 1.5 was deployed in the Mac App Store yesterday. The update contains “improvements and bug fixes,” according to the mother-ship.
Apple highlights some of these enhancements, including the ability to “enroll both unsupervised and supervised devices in MDM using enrollment URLs.”
Administrators can now report progress and status and display physical port numbers thanks to the integration with new Bretford PowerSync+ Carts and Stations. Lastly, the new Configurator offers support for a new iOS setting that requires a passcode for AirPlay connections occurring for the first time ever.
What Configurator 1.5 appears to lack is bug fixes. Apple itself seemed to be quite aware of at least one annoying problem which it documented on its Support site just two days after the discontinuation rumors broke out: “Error 5103 when redeeming code.”
Numerous users are reporting this nagging error on Apple Support Communities, and, at first glance, it seems Apple has done nothing to address it despite being willing to continue to support the application.
However, a quick trip to the Support document in question (KB article TS5372) reveals that updating to the new version will resolve this issue. Softpedia readers can immediately download Apple Configurator 1.5 at the supplied link, while existing users can just fire up Software Update on their Macs.
Apple could still be planning to phase out Configurator in the coming weeks or months, but for now the company seems settled on offering a better experience to existing users.