​Is how you work taken for granted?​ 

A few weeks ago, I saw a post about using generative AI to create an image of where you would like to be in 10 years, specifically focusing on what you would see, where you would be and to a lesser degree what you would look like. I did this using bing.com/create and the impact this image had on me was amazing, it is now my desktop background on my laptop and every time I look at it my direction is reinforced. But this article isn’t about that picture, although I do recommend doing this, it is about what was not in that picture. 

In the picture you can see a typewriter, no laptop, no mobile phone, no headphones, no TV. You see old school pencil and paper. I realised that when asking generative AI to create this picture that I took all those things for granted. I didn’t need to describe a specific mobile device, screen size or environment on my desk because it was not crucial to how I wanted to see myself in the future. Yet, we are dependent on this equipment and how it enables us to do our job. 

What does your future tech look like? 

Are we expecting the super intelligent contact lens as worn by Robert Pattinson in the 2022 film The Batman, or are you expecting a handheld device you can leave behind? Whichever of these directions you prefer, I am pretty sure that moving away from large physical screens could play a part in your hopes. As much as I love the X34 screen I have at home, it’s not exactly sized to take with me. Similarly, working on my smartphone isn’t great if I need to modify a large and complex spreadsheet.  

What I would love to see in the future is a balance of small, portable devices being able to give a desktop-like experience when I want it and a discreet one at other times. The good news is that this isn’t science fiction or even something for the future, this is possible now through the magic of virtual desktops, super high-powered mobile compute power and ever-improved mobile connectivity. 

We have become dependent on mobile devices to communicate, navigate, inform and collaborate, yet we quite often find we have two or three devices with us to enable us to work. What if we could reduce this to just one, but engineer workplaces and popup workplaces to support your portable device in a way that would give you a secure big screen feel from your mobile device? 

Pop-up and Remote Workplaces 

Pop-up workplaces, or concepts like the Work Café from Santander will become more common place as we realise that we need to have social contact but not always with the cost of physical office space, as demonstrated by HSBC with their office downsizing planned for 2026. These office changes are not due to a drastic change in employee numbers, more the patterns that have become common place with hybrid and flexible working now the norm. Do you think companies, when they fit out new offices, will be using desktop PCs? Highly unlikely, but what if they could skip you coming into work with your laptop, which reduces baggage size on the train and potential equipment damage. Why not let the mobile phone be the gateway to your work environment? 

Take a second and imagine your mobile phone being your gateway to corporate resources, what would that mean to you? I know cramming onto the tube in London with my laptop bag, charger etc quite often requires shifting it from my back to my hand just to fit in; what if we all stopped carrying our laptops, chargers and associated equipment? 

So enough of the reasoning, what equipment do you need to make this happen? I’m going to split into the two mainstream mobile operating systems iOS and Android to explore what you can do in your business to adopt this way of operating. Both device operating systems can be supplied to users in multiple ways, I will focus on the Corporate-supplied and personally enabled model, where a device is owned by the employer, but allows fair use for personal tasks. 

Dock: I am writing this article with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, connected to a laptop, a dock and two external screens. Docks are the key to success, but more and more manufacturers are including this capability into displays, large or small. The dock is critical, integrated or standalone as it provides a capability to charge, connect and display content from the mobile devices. I have operated this way recently with a mobile device docked to a screen and it was hard to discern any difference in experience.  

Desktop Software: Assuming you are now operating from your device, you have the keyboard, mouse and headphones connected over Bluetooth and the smartphone docked to an external display, without a desktop application you would only see the home page of your smartphone. 

iOS: To run a remote desktop on an iOS device, you need to install an app that can connect to a remote server or computer and display its screen on your iPhone or iPad. There are many apps available for this purpose, such as Microsoft Remote Desktop, VMware Horizon Client, Citrix Workspace, Amazon WorkSpaces, Parallels Access or TeamViewer. There are some specifics that you will need to enter, although if the device is managed, many of these can be pushed to the device. 

Android: To run a remote desktop on an Android device, you need to follow similar steps as for iOS, but with some differences depending on the app and the device you are using. However, some Android devices, such as Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets, have a built-in feature called DeX (short for Desktop Experience) that allows you to use your device as a desktop computer when connected to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse. DeX lets you run multiple apps in resizable windows, access a desktop-like interface with a taskbar and a start menu, and use keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures. DeX also supports running remote desktop apps, so you can access your cloud or local desktop from your Android device while enjoying a larger screen and more productivity features. 

Android with DeX: To use DeX, you need to connect your Samsung device to an external monitor using a USB-C to HDMI cable or adapter, or a wireless connection such as Miracast or Chromecast. Although you can connect a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse you can use your device's screen as a touchpad. Once connected you will see a prompt to switch to DeX mode, which you can accept or decline. When you are in DeX mode, you can launch any app from your device, including remote desktop apps, and use them in a desktop-like environment. To exit DeX mode, you can simply disconnect the USB-C connection and walk away, no data will be left on the screen and you are secure and mobile with your device. 

Security: One of the challenges of using remote desktop on an iOS device is to prevent corporate data from being transferred or copied to other applications that are not authorised or secured by the organisation. To address this issue, some remote desktop apps offer features such as clipboard redirection, which allows you to copy and paste text and images between the remote desktop and the local device, but only within the app itself or within other apps that are managed by the same provider.

For example, if you use Microsoft Remote Desktop, you can copy and paste between the remote desktop and other Microsoft apps that are enrolled in Intune, but not to other apps that are outside the Microsoft ecosystem. This way, you can prevent data leakage and ensure compliance with your organisation's policies. Another way to prevent corporate data from being moved to other applications is to use a containerised solution that separates the personal and workspaces on the device.

This is more common on Android devices, which have a native feature called Android Enterprise that allows you to create a work profile on your device that is isolated from the personal profile. The work profile has its own set of apps, settings, and data that are encrypted and managed by the organisation, while the personal profile has its own apps, settings, and data that are under the user's control. When you use a remote desktop app in the work profile, you can only access the corporate resources that are approved by the organisation, and you cannot share or move data to the personal profile or other apps that are not part of the work profile.

This way, you can protect your privacy and security while using your Android device as a desktop computer. This second capability also enables the Work Mode switch in Android that allows you to switch off when you need personal time! 

DEX (The other DEX!): Digital employee experience is the sum of all the interactions and perceptions that an employee has with the digital tools, platforms, and services that are provided by the organisation. DEX is a key factor in ensuring employee engagement, productivity, satisfaction, and retention, especially in remote environments where physical contact and support are limited.

By enabling remote desktop environments on a mobile device it is critical that organisations also monitor the experience, and this can be achieved through DEX enablement in the remote solutions to measure and optimise the performance, availability, and usability of the remote desktop applications, as well as the device, network, and cloud infrastructure that support them. 

Comms and Collaboration: One of the pushbacks I often encounter when suggesting remote desktop on a mobile device is how to communicate and collaborate effectively with colleagues and clients using audio and video conferencing tools. This is a valid concern, as not all remote desktop apps support these capabilities, or they may require additional configuration and bandwidth to work properly. However, there are ways to overcome this challenge and ensure a smooth and seamless communication experience while using a remote desktop on a mobile device.  

Possible Solutions: 

- Use a dedicated communication app on your mobile device that runs outside the remote desktop session. This way, you can use your device's microphone, speaker, camera, and cellular or Wi-Fi connection to join a voice or video call, while keeping the remote desktop app in the background or on a split screen. For example, you can use Zoom, Teams, Webex, or even Skype on your mobile device to communicate with others, while accessing your cloud or local desktop through Microsoft Remote Desktop, VMware Horizon Client, Citrix Workspace, or any other app that supports this scenario. This solution has the advantage of avoiding any potential network latency or bandwidth issues that may affect the quality of the audio or video stream, as well as reducing the load on the remote server or computer that hosts the desktop session. However, this solution also has some drawbacks, such as requiring more battery power and memory on your mobile device, switching between apps, and not being able to share your screen or files from the remote desktop session. 

- Use a communication app that is integrated with the remote desktop app or provider, and that supports routing the audio and video streams directly to your mobile device. This way, you can use your device's microphone, speaker, camera, and cellular or Wi-Fi connection to join a voice or video call, while staying within the remote desktop session and having access to all the features and functions of the communication app. These solutions have the advantage of providing a consistent user experience across different devices and platforms, enabling screen and file sharing from the remote desktop session, and optimising the network bandwidth and performance by avoiding hair-pinning or looping the audio and video streams through the remote server or computer. However, these solutions also have some limitations, such as requiring specific configurations and compatibility checks, depending on the remote desktop app or provider, the communication app, and the device you are using. 

- Utilise a mobile to communication platform integration such as a linked eSim capability in Teams that shares the mobile and Teams phone number giving you a seamless connectivity, shared voicemail, history and contact list 

Whichever solution you decide upon, voice and video streams are one of the most important areas you as a business will need to focus on as users will not accept sub-standard communications. All of the solutions will require careful planning and testing to ensure that they meet your needs and expectations. Depending on the remote desktop app or provider, the communication app, and the device you are using, you may need to choose one of these solutions, or combine them, or switch between them, depending on the situation and the availability of the resources. The key is to understand the pros and cons of each solution, and to evaluate them according to your specific requirements and preferences. 

Conclusion 

I think we can look forward to a continued use of laptops, but an adoption of capabilities where the smartphone and it’s ever-increasing processing power allow us to work more flexibly, Businesses will need to consider how they setup and manage physical office space and if technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality or spatial computing can also be combined to give employees the ultimate experience in the office, but the flexibility and freedom to travel light without having to place thin clients or physical desktops in the workspace.

The outcome is realistic and possible, but as highlighted in the article, there are some challenges that need to be carefully managed. If you would like to understand more and investigate the possibilities of smartphone-based desktop, please do reach out.