Apple Inc has acquired Fleetsmith, a San Francisco-based startup company whose technology helps businesses manage Apple`s Mac and iPad devices among their employee bases.

At a time when IT has to help employees set up and manage devices remotely, a service that simplifies those processes could certainly come in handy, which apparently Apple recognized.

The move is a push by Apple into the mobile device management industry, a category of business software dominated by players such as Microsoft Corp and VMware Inc.

The startup has built technology that takes advantage of Apple’s Device Enrollment Program, allowing IT departments to bring devices online as soon as the employee takes it out of the box and powers it up.

Over time, the company has layered on other useful pieces beyond automating device registration, like updating devices automatically with OS and security updates, while letting IT see a dashboard of the status of all devices under management, all in a pretty slick interface.

Fleetsmith announced the deal in a blog post. Apple confirmed the acquisition, but the companies did not disclose a price.

"We’re thrilled to join Apple," it said.

Apple said, "Our shared values of putting the customer at the centre of everything we do without sacrificing privacy and security, means we can truly meet our mission, delivering Fleetsmith to businesses and institutions of all sizes, around the world."