Citrix introduces macOS access to any platform

Apple admins already know they’ll be required to enroll numerous iPhone 16 devices in the coming weeks as millions of users upgrade; they may also be more interested to learn Citrix can now deliver a macOS desktop session to any device.

That’s right, Citrix has rolled out high-performance remote access to Mac desktops via Citrix DaaS (Desktop as a Service). It means you can access a high-grade Mac from any device, wherever you are, and within the managed security of Citrix.

macOS for the rest of us (them)

“With millions of Windows, Linux, Web, and SaaS applications launched every month, it’s not often that we get to announce support for a new platform — today, we’re excited to announce that Citrix DaaS can now securely deliver macOS desktops to any device,” the company says.

As a result, users on any platform can access a high-performance Mac, and when they do, it is with the enterprise-grade security, observability, and management tools Citrix promises to provide. The service is available to support both on-premises and cloud-hosted Macs — in part, through an alliance with the erstwhile Mac-as-a-service progenitor, MacStadium.

The service makes it quick and easy to provision temporary or contract workers with access to an effectively managed Mac environment without needing to ship any hardware — reducing costs and increasing security.

Who is this for?

Citrix sees the provision of Mac-as-a-service as essential to enterprises, particularly for remote development, creative pros, and specialized application access and development. “If your organization uses specialized Mac applications, Citrix DaaS makes it easier than ever to deliver these applications to end users,” the company said. 

“Enterprise customers have been asking for a cloud-based Mac virtual desktop solution for years,” said Chris Chapman, CTO at MacStadium. “By partnering with Citrix, we’re proudly delivering a highly flexible, high-performance, and secure solution that meets the needs of businesses worldwide who rely on Macs for critical tasks.”

(When I spoke with Chapman last year, he was bullish on Apple’s prospects in the enterprise markets. “[iPhones and Macs] are becoming the de facto standard for laptop, desktop, and phone and you’re really starting to see it become pervasive. It starts with the consumer but has grown to pervade business and enterprises everywhere,” he said.)

Citrix VDA for macOS

Citrix VDA for macOS is available now for all Citrix DaaS customers. Features include Single Sign-On, an enhanced user experience with USB device redirection and HDX screen sharing, and enhanced video conferencing through webcam redirection. 

The solution supports macOS host devices using M1 or later chipsets and the latest three generations of macOS. Once it is installed on Macs (on premises or hosted, perhaps by MacStadium or AWS) the machines can be made available as a service to users. More information is available here.

Changing times

The introduction of this service would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. Things have changed, mostly because Apple has now grabbed — and continues to reach for — an ever-bigger slice of the enterprise market. As it does, incumbents in the industry are accepting that they must embrace change.

And scenarios such as the abhorrent economic damage caused by the Microsoft/Crowdstrike fiasco shouldn’t really be seen as building loyalty to the status quo. When was the last time Macs ever generated such a large-scale business disaster?

At the least, for businesses curious to explore Mac use, the service provides a managed solution to deploy macOS desktop access for executive teams who otherwise make run Windows or Linux. For some, the solution could act as a perfect gateway to explore a user-focused Mac experience — a chance to try before you buy, or at least offer up an employee choice scheme to enjoy all the productivity benefits these can unleash.

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