New Dropbox for Business Features Added
If you use Dropbox for business, you’ll want to take a look at the features that the company has just added.
More Security
One of the things that Dropbox has been working on is improved security for business users. The newest version of Dropbox includes:
View-only features
Password protected links
Links with expiry dates
These security features make it easier to share information with co-workers without sharing too much information, or leaving a link on the table for too long. Password protection enhancement is also a welcomed change for anyone wanting to share links, but not wanting everyone that’s part of a company to have access to those links. In addition to beefing up security, Dropbox has also added something called “Project Harmony.”
What Project Harmony Does
Project Harmony lets you see who else is working on a Microsoft Office file. The previous version of Dropbox didn’t allow users to see other collaborators, so you never knew who was working on what files. Now, it’s clear who is and who isn’t changing things around – a very useful tool. Dropbox also spent some time focusing on developer needs by creating two new APIs.
Developing Apps for Dropbox
Dropbox has created two new ways for developers to create apps for the service. The first of those is a shared folder API that gives developers access to the core of the shared folder service, and this will make it possible for users to have the exact same sharing experience whether using Dropbox directly or an extension of Dropbox in the form of an app.
The second developer change that was made includes a document preview API, which lets developers add Dropbox’s document preview feature to apps created by developers. Both of these changes will make developing apps for Dropbox much simpler, and will, in the end, result in a better overall user experience when using any Dropbox app.
Needed Changes
It’s been a while since Dropbox has made any significant updates to its service, so these changes are certainly welcomed. Dropbox for business has many users all over the world, and it’s one of the few services that are widely trusted for security purposes too (despite some breaches). Targeting developer needs and security updates was a good choice for the company. Dropbox users that are part of the “early access” program should be able to access some of these features immediately.
The Dropbox for Business features listed here will roll out to the rest of business users within the next few months. If you are an early access user, let us know how the changes are, and what you like and hate about the new Dropbox for business. It’s always encouraging to see how companies handle user feedback, and clearly Dropbox takes the comments that users send to the company seriously. Security, especially is important to Drop box users of all kinds, and I’m hoping that some of these security options will be available to all users shortly.