Apple and IBM partner to make iOS king of the office

[techbeck]

Apple and IBM have just announced what the companies describe as a "landmark partnership" designed to "redefine the way work will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business change." Put more simply, they're aiming to combine their respective strengths and aggressively tackle the enterprise market. IBM says it will contribute its big data and analytics expertise, with Apple offering the "elegant user experience of iPhone and iPad." The move could transform Apple, which ordinarily focuses squarely on consumers, into a true business powerhouse. It could also touch off a new battle with Microsoft, which now more than ever is focused on the enterprise and cloud services.

 

IBM will sell iOS devices to corporate clients that come preloaded with enterprise software designed in collaboration with Apple; those apps will become available "starting this fall" with more debuting in 2015. Both companies are promising "a new category of mobile apps" that address the needs of specific industries like "retail, healthcare, banking, travel, telecommunications, and insurance." The apps will of course make heavy use of IBM's cloud infrastructure, all the while coexisting with Apple's own services like iCloud. Apple also announced that it plans to add a new  "AppleCare for Enterprise" customer service tier that will provide IT departments and users with 24/7 support.

 

More....

http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/15/5902745/apple-ibm-want-to-make-ios-king-of-the-office

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....  

[Knife Party]

this should be on the front page. Its huge news

[bandit_liberty_rumble]

Another article about it on The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/16/5904433/ibm-is-apples-simplest-solution-to-selling-more-ipads

 

 

 

For once, the dramatic language of a big new announcement is not exaggerated. The world?s most popular personal devices can become its most relied-upon business computers as well. Apple has turned what was a trickle of business-oriented additions to iOS into a comprehensive strategy for storming the walls of big enterprise. In seeking to address their few weaknesses, Apple and IBM could be setting the agenda for how we all do business for years to come.

[AeonicVision]

I've been wondering the same.  This totally changes Apple's footing in the enterprise realm, and is a massive plus for them and iOS.

And before the jokes roll, Apple and IBM have not been competing for over a decade, despite their competition in the 80's.

[Xerino]

Well IBM has to pick up the slack somewhere since they sold off their PC branding to Lenovo

[PGHammer]

Another article about it on The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2014/7/16/5904433/ibm-is-apples-simplest-solution-to-selling-more-ipads

It's basically a deal that IBM *has* to do, because their mainframe-based services businesses are under assault.  How much of that business can be siphoned off by services providers (EC2, Azure, etc.)?  Also, Apple wants to not depend on Microsoft (Azure is the backbone behind the App Stores and iTunes) - Apple wants to become independent of that.

 

The question is - can IBM make it work now, after having failed before?  (Did or did NOT Apple originally go to IBM with the genesis of what became iTunes, only to eventually wind up with Microsoft?)  What is IBM bringing to the table - other than increased desparation?

[techbeck]

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....  

 

Not surprised at all.  There are always a ton more MS related postings while Apple, Google, and others are either missed or not cared about.  Guess that is what this is called Neowin.

[FloatingFatMan]

They've got absolutely zero chance of shifting Microsoft from their top spot in the corporate world.

[Soldiers33]

so they are expecting people to do their work on phones? This will fail big time.

[BajiRav]

Kind of surprised this isn't on the front page (although I probably shouldn't be). Seems like bigger news than Volkswagen being in talks with Apple regarding CarPlay, especially if you think about possible implications for Microsoft....  

what implications? IBM has no credible presence in MDM space (unless they bought somebody recently) and their cloud/mobile/enterprise offering isn't exactly great.

[JaredFrost]

I don't think IBM has anything to offer here, In fact this is probably a negative for Apple.

[macoman]

so they are expecting people to do their work on phones? This will fail big time.

Smartphones are becoming main stream in almost anything. Anyone, even children have a smartphone some where. But this target apple branded smartphones, hopefully IBM expand this to Android and Windows phone.

[Melfster]

Smartphones are becoming main stream in almost anything. Anyone, even children have a smartphone some where. But this target apple branded smartphones, hopefully IBM expand this to Android and Windows phone.

 

It doesn't mean that they will be primary means for business.  I just don't see most business abandoning PC to work with tablets/smartphones. Consumers may switch but I don't think businesses will.

[Son_Of_Dad]

This is as comedic as Googles claims they were going to steal all of Microsoft's Office users a few months ago.

[FloatingFatMan]

This is as comedic as Googles claims they were going to steal all of Microsoft's Office users a few months ago.

 

 

Well, to be fair, Google never said they'd KEEP MS Office's users... :p

[DeltaXray]

This is great news. Whilst the iPhone/iPad are great devices integrating them into enterprise has so far been a complete cluster****. Apple put so little effort thus far into Enterprise requirements it is a joke.

[Soldiers33]

Smartphones are becoming main stream in almost anything. Anyone, even children have a smartphone some where. But this target apple branded smartphones, hopefully IBM expand this to Android and Windows phone.

So when you go work, you dont log into a PC? But take your phone out?

[neufuse Veteran]

This is as comedic as Googles claims they were going to steal all of Microsoft's Office users a few months ago.

Hey, IBM already tried to steal Office users years ago... that's why they bought Lotus, because their suite was SO much better right?... How many people out there still use Notes? anyone? anyone?

[macoman]

So when you go work, you dont log into a PC? But take your phone out?

I don't mean that the PC is going to be replace by smartphones... At least not for now. But Smartphones are getting stronger and able to perform multitasking work. So it is obvious that a smartphone can be an instrument of work and perform tasks, replacing some work from a PC.

[FloatingFatMan]

This is great news. Whilst the iPhone/iPad are great devices integrating them into enterprise has so far been a complete cluster****. Apple put so little effort thus far into Enterprise requirements it is a joke.

 

Because they know they'll never make a dent in Microsoft's dominance in the enterprise market.

[DeltaXray]

Because they know they'll never make a dent in Microsoft's dominance in the enterprise market.

 

By enterprise I mean things like proper device control/policies etc. Not things like Server OS.

 

The problem is they have these great devices (better and more popular than Microsoft's offerings) but Apple don't put enough effort into making them enterprise-ready. They're still very much standalone, unmanaged devices as the available tools are still limited.

[FloatingFatMan]

By enterprise I mean things like proper device control/policies etc. Not things like Server OS.

 

The problem is they have these great devices (better and more popular than Microsoft's offerings) but Apple don't put enough effort into making them enterprise-ready. They're still very much standalone, unmanaged devices as the available tools are still limited.

 

The entirety of iOS has been designed around consumer use, not business.  They're trying to shove a square peg into a round hole. They can either chisel the edges off and force it in, leaving lots of huge gaps, or they can make a new round peg.

[TrevorLahey]

This is just IBMs attempt at trying to become relevant.  IBM Smartcloud is HORRIBLE as well as Lotus Notes and it's other crappy software products.... I don't see this helping them much.  You might gain a few customers, but it isn't going to bring down Microsoft or Google.

Hey, IBM already tried to steal Office users years ago... that's why they bought Lotus, because their suite was SO much better right?... How many people out there still use Notes? anyone? anyone?

Unfortunately we still do, but our CIO is the only one pushing for it.  Everybody else thinks it sucks...  He's sucked into IBM big time and brings us all with it.  Just started moving to "Smart"Cloud which sucks, but at least doesn't crash as much as Notes does...

[neufuse Veteran]

This is just IBMs attempt at trying to become relevant.  IBM Smartcloud is HORRIBLE as well as Lotus Notes and it's other crappy software products.... I don't see this helping them much.  You might gain a few customers, but it isn't going to bring down Microsoft or Google.

Unfortunately we still do, but our CIO is the only one pushing for it.  Everybody else thinks it sucks...  He's sucked into IBM big time and brings us all with it.  Just started moving to "Smart"Cloud which sucks, but at least doesn't crash as much as Notes does...

I know there are a bunch of people out there on Notes still, but to this day I can't figure out why...