Thin client player IGEL has told its partners and customers that it is giving up making thin client hardware in March next year and will move to software offerings and hardware from its partners.
The company said that its chums Lenovo, HP and LG will give partners access to nine different thin client offerings and the firm has also developed partnerships with software players, including Microsoft, Citrix and VMware too.
Simon Townsend, IGEL’s field chief technology officer for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), said it had kept partners in the loop as it had been winding down its hardware operation so the development would not come as a surprise to its channel.
He added that the change in direction would provide the channel with access to more hardware options, as IGEL had only been offering three flavours to users, and would be a strong pitch for customers looking for secure solutions in a hybrid working world.
IGEL CEO Jed Ayres said: “We believe that the timing couldn’t be better to become singularly focused on the delivery of a software platform that improves security and manageability at the endpoint, enhances productivity and optimises the employee experience,” said Ayres.
“Through our alliances with HP, Lenovo and LG, we are also expanding our global reach and doubling down on innovation that enables our partners and customers to derive more value from the investments they are making in Microsoft, Citrix and VMware VDI, DaaS and SaaS solutions,” he added.
IGEL was number three in the thin client hardware market globally and was number one in Germany, but started to move away from relying on that business in 2016.
“Expanding the global adoption of our endpoint operating system was the right decision, especially at a time when there is more demand than ever for a more secure, manageable, cost effective and rich Windows experience across a growing array of endpoint devices that support today’s hybrid work environments.”
