Google joins enterprise-focused Modern Computing Alliance and reiterates push for PWAs

Announced today, the Modern Computing Alliance brings together Google and other big enterprise players to “address the biggest IT challenges facing companies today with integration from silicon to cloud.” 

To drive ‘silicon-to-cloud’ innovation for the benefit of enterprise customers — fueling a differentiated modern computing platform and providing additional choice for integrated business solutions.

Mission statement 

This involves “aligning standards and technologies” so that businesses have options in their transition to the cloud. The full list includes Box, Citrix, Dell, Imprivata, Intel, Okta, RingCentral, Slack, VMware, and Zoom.

Google’s contribution is specifically focused on Chrome Enterprise (browser + Chrome OS) and the Workspace productivity team. 

One effort aimed at “redefining modern computing together” is encouraging the use of enterprise Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) over legacy native programs. This makes possible an “integrated, secure experience on any device, from anywhere” that is easier for developers to build.

To aid the PWA push, Google today committed to “improv[ing] the quality of video and audio experiences in native PWAs by leveraging hardware-based capabilities and platform optimizations to provide exceptional performance across the entire vertical stack.”

In addition to performance, the Modern Computing Alliance has four “pressing challenges” in total:

• Performance: We will invest in reducing friction and creating a much more seamless, user-friendly experience across the web and devices.
• Security and Identity: We’ll create more advanced cloud data security and improve data loss prevention solutions. 
• Remote Work, Productivity, and Collaboration: The Alliance will enhance the productivity of an increasingly distributed workforce by providing telemetry insights across the stack.  
• Healthcare: Healthcare providers need a better ROI on technology in order to improve patient outcomes and reduce IT costs. 

“Some early innovations” from Google and the Modern Computing Alliance effort will be shared in the first half of 2021.