Comments on: The iPhone, IT, and the Enterprise

By: Jason

Jason — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:37:14 +0000

I’m an IT professional who works at an airport that is slowly switching. It’s more based on personal preference at the moment, but the iPhone is making its presence known. Centralized management is not that important for us, at least not yet… and I’m not certain it ever will be. We have a BES, but aside from managing the data flow, we don’t physically “manage” anything from it. I believe we pushed out one patch in three years, because it was a timezone issue that crucially needed it.

By: DanB

DanB — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:50:30 +0000

I just started working at EMC. I brought my personal iPhone to work and within the first week my iPhone was configured to synch with company email, calendar and contacts. iPhones are replacing Blackberrys at a rapid pace at EMC. EMC’s IT department made it easy and secure.

By: Howie Isaacks

Howie Isaacks — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:04:04 +0000

People who call the Mac or the iPhone toys are morons.

By: Tom Reestman

Tom Reestman — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:37:20 +0000

Astrochimp,

“I wonder if Apple can ever catch up to Microsoft”

The article is about Apple compared to RIM, not Microsoft.

The rest of your comments are from the Apple bashers talking points memo.

By: Astrochimp

Astrochimp — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:02:20 +0000

“as Apple catches up on the centralized management issues….”

I wonder if Apple can ever catch up to Microsoft in being business-friendly, because that would require Apple to stop being Apple: highly secretive and mendacious (i.e. lying about security rather than leading with it, as Microsoft has done with Vista and then Windows 7).

My wife has an iPhone. Here are my experiences with it:
a) it’s pretty
b) it obscures perf issues with gratuitous animations
c) my voice mails never seem to get through
d) all my wife talks about – and shows off to friends – are the games on it.

It’s no wonder Apple is perceived as a purveyor of toys.

Other than infiltrations into the enterprise by a few Apple zealots who buy the Jobs Religion, I don’t see Apple ever making it there.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:49:54 +0000

Although I agree with the first quote I don’t think it’s entirely the fault, in the second quote, of the IT management, that its perceived as a toy. So, I can’t get bent out of shape because it’s not readily apparent it’s not a toy. You can thank Apple for this.

We all know there’s potential beyond a toy however, it’s fair to say Apple has made their choices in how to market the iPhone and if that means they’re unfortunately overplaying the “hip crowd” card at the expense of the “serious business people” one – that’s Apple’s doing.

Fortunately, as more non-corporate users saturate the userbase – word gets out. Word is getting out and it’s a very positive word. People will know the iPhone has power and security. IT management will be able to see this even if Apple continues to market to the turtlenecks.

Now, if Apple decides to start promoting the robust business tools in the AppStore, bringing their own marketing in line with business-minded IT folks (and I believe they’re beginning to) then there’ll be a tipping point even sooner where this “toy” will have found its following AND goes in the hands of corporate IT.

I think this will happen sooner than later. I’m not worried but RIM better be.

By: Dan

Dan — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 13:16:07 +0000

How short sighted can a company get?

Don’t IT departments depend on things breaking down and constantly being difficult to use and needing specialized attention? I figured that’s how they all stay employed.