The new software, which operates on a hosted basis via company PCs, is billed as allowing firms to secure, monitor, and control the configuration of these devices connecting to the corporate network.
The idea with the new software, says Sophos, is that it affords smartphones with similar levels of control and protection seen on company laptops and desktops.
Interestingly, Sophos says that Mobile Control also solves the problem of the increasing trend towards consumerisation of smartphones in the workplace.
Consumerisation is where an employee uses a portable device s/he has purchased for work purposes, and, when this device is used for business applications, it poses something of a security headache for IT managers, as conventional IT security is not easily extended to support such devices.
Sophos claims that its web-based console approach to Mobile Control gets around this issue by centrally configuring security settings, so enabling a lockdown of unwanted features and remote over-the-air lock or wipe if device is lost or stolen.
The new offering - which will ship in the second quarter of 2011 - is also billed as supporting consistent security policy enforcement and strong password policies, as well as the control and installation of applications, plus the blocking of cameras, web browsers, and Web 2.0 services like YouTube.
According to Matthias Pankert, Sophos' head of data protection and product management, the definition of a company endpoint is shifting rapidly.
As a result, he argues that security solutions must quickly adapt to provide companies and users the protection they need without causing undue burden on IT staff and users.
"The introduction of the Sophos Mobile Control is the foundation for providing device and data protection and security controls in the context they need it", he said.