Your MDM should support your devices, not the other way around
Not all Android devices are created equal — nor should they be. Whether you need a device fleet with all GMS devices, all AOSP devices, or a mix of both, your device management provider should not only accommodate but offer all the tools you need for either. Supporting AOSP devices is where most device management solutions start to fall apart.
Still researching? Read our GMS vs. AOSP selection guide!
While it may seem counterintuitive to go with AOSP over GMS Android (given its limitations), there are several reasons why AOSP is the best choice for dedicated hardware. There’s much to be said for a completely customizable solution to fit your unique needs, right?
A fully customizable experience: If you can dream it, you can build it with AOSP. The unique vision you have in your mind for the ideal customer experience? It’s possible with AOSP.
It’s free: Since AOSP is open source, you can download, modify, and redistribute it — no strings attached. That means you can offer similar experiences across a range of hardware.
Unmatched versatility: AOSP can be built to run on various hardware form factors and processor architecture, including ARM and x86. If it has a screen, AOSP can likely work on it.
Long-term support and enhanced security: Stop replacing hardware because it no longer gets security patches. Google provides regular updates to AOSP for the latest bug fixes, security patches, and features, so your devices have a longer lifespan.
You can only do so much with apps. Sometimes they don’t work how you want, or you have trouble creating a cohesive experience. But with AOSP, you can take the experience outside the app limitation and build the entire experience exactly how you want it.
Create custom user interfaces
Offer only the features that make sense to you
Block access to hardware components like the volume or power button
Manage your own system updates to ensure tip-top device safety
Granularly control access to specific USB peripherals
Dual boot custom AOSP alongside other operating systems
Build for x86 or ARM processors
Seamlessly scale your device fleet
AOSP removes many of the limitations put in place by other operating systems. If you’ve always wanted a custom solution on your device fleet but didn’t know how to get it, you just found your answer.
You can only do so much with apps. Sometimes they don’t work how you want, or you have trouble creating a cohesive experience. But with AOSP, you can take the experience outside the app limitation and build the entire experience exactly how you want it.
AOSP removes many of the limitations put in place by other operating systems. If you’ve always wanted a custom solution on your device fleet but didn’t know how to get it, you just found your answer.
Too often, people need to choose between a reliable device management solution and the devices they want to use. That’s not how it should be, so Esper works seamlessly with AOSP devices, GMS devices, or a mix of the two. That means you can build your device fleet your way — piecemeal from off the shelf hardware, full custom out of the gate, or anything in between. Precisely as it should be.
AOSP stands for Android Open Source Project, which is an open-source initiative led by Google to develop and maintain the Android operating system.
With AOSP, you can create custom Android-based operating systems, build dedicated devices, modify the Android source code, and develop applications specifically tailored to your needs.
An AOSP build refers to a compiled version of the Android source code obtained from the AOSP repository. It includes all the necessary components and files required to run the Android operating system on a device.
AOSP is the base source code for the Android operating system, while Android refers to the complete package that includes additional components and services provided by Google, such as Google Play Services, Google apps, and proprietary features.
Yes, you can use AOSP to create your own Android-based operating system. By modifying the AOSP source code, adding or removing features, and customizing the user interface, you can create a unique version of Android tailored to your specific requirements.