Symantec Acquires NitroDesk, Grows Enterprise Mobile Business

As part of its ongoing mission to improve enterprise data security on mobile devices, Symantec (SYMC) has acquired longtime partner NitroDesk for an undisclosed amount. Symantec said the acquisition of NitroDesk and its TouchDown email security app will improve the company’s understanding of and ability to provide reliable mobile security for corporate data.

While NitroDesk is now officially part of the Symantec family, current partners and customers will not experience any change in their product experiences, save for a rebranding of the TouchDown app, according to Symantec. As NitroDesk was already a part of the existing Symantec App Center, these customers won’t experience any negative change either. The acquisition is expected to provide current users with faster updates to NitroDesk’s products and better integration with Symantec assets, according to the press release. The company cited one reason for its decision to improve mobile security as a way to provide a secure email alternative to BlackBerry’s (BBRY) BES10.

“This is a significant step for the mobile team, and in combination with our Symantec App Center product and Symantec Sealed Apps, we will be able to bring a competitive productivity solution that combines enterprise class protection with consumer class user experience,” Symantec said in a blog post.

Symantec attributes the acquisition to the company’s recently renewed vigor in enhancing its enterprise mobile management solutions, including the recent integration between the Norton App Center and Norton Mobile Security into a single console, along with other developments including the Norton Spot beta app for Android.

“Symantec is the first company to integrate mobile device management, app wrapping, threat protection, and email client and browser apps into one enterprise mobility management solution,” said Amit Mital, chief technology officer of Symantec, in a prepared statement. “Across the enterprise, our security pedigree, unique intelligence insights and unparalleled ability to deliver comprehensive solutions set us apart. And we’re replicating that in the mobile space so our customers can give their employees the tools they need to remain productive, while ensuring the right security controls are in place to protect critical information.”

Symantec closed the deal with NitroDesk last week but withheld details on the acquisition until May 28. While the long-term future of NitroDesk’s products is still unclear, Symantec is promising that nothing is expected to change for now in terms of product support or sales.