For businesses looking to bring more mobility to their operations, Apple (News - Alert)'s array of devices is often one of the first platforms considered. Right alongside various Android devices, and surpassing the now in-decline BlackBerry (News - Alert) brand, iOS is a big player in the field, yet it is not always so easy to work with on a large scale. That is set to change, however, as the platforms mass deployment system for mobile device management (MDM) is set to get a serious retooling in the next iOS 7 update.

Reports suggest that the next version of iOS 7 will come with a set of bug fixes—which really isn't surprising—as well as a set of modifications geared toward the user interface. This is all par for the course, no doubt, but another report emerged suggesting Apple was at work with MDM vendors in the field in a bid to shore up its managed deployment mechanisms. The improvements in question are reportedly set to ship “around March 15” as part of the next update.

While it would be easy to dismiss this as yet another in a long string of Apple rumors that never panned out, the reports did note some very specific facets of the mass device deployment system, including features that had never been seen before. It was noted that Apple does currently have a Volume Services website in place, complete with a 2014 copyright date, but the site is said to be still in the testing phase. However, once live, the site will reportedly boast not only bulk purchasing options for apps and books alike, but also a tool called “Automate MDM Enrollment.” There's even a capability to offer over-the-air supervision of deployed devices, which will make rolling out a wide-scale product adoption a lot easier.

There are even reports that the new version will bypass Configurator, which was generally poorly regarded thanks to a lack of high-grade security tools. Configurator's combination of managed configuration and profile tools did well for individuals and for small businesses, but for larger organizations it was often considered inadequate. Given Apple's recent moves toward the enterprise user, it would make sense to bolster that particular side of the coin.

Apple's stance for the enterprise user seems a sound one. After all, Apple offers up plenty of free updates for iOS, supports hardware that's three years old in some cases, and offers up a huge install base of currently satisfied users. While there were certainly some bruises in Apple’s plans for larger enterprises—like Configurator—it's clear that Apple is making some moves to not only address these issues but to strengthen the platform as a whole to the satisfaction of larger business. If Apple can successfully make a case for secure mass iOS deployment, one of the biggest sources of resistance to Apple in the enterprise will be eliminated. That could mean a very exciting future for Apple in the workplace, and for BlackBerry, a potential death knell.

Only time will tell if these modifications actually go through, and how said modifications will be received at the enterprise level. Still, it's looking good for Apple indeed, and we may well be looking at the start of a whole new era of enterprise-driven Apple.