Apple's Beats brand in April unveiled the Powerbeats Pro, a redesigned wire-free version of its popular fitness-oriented Powerbeats earbuds.
Apple and IBM Introduce Ten Business-Focused 'IBM MobileFirst' iOS Apps
Following a partnership announced over the summer, Apple and IBM have today introduced the first in a line of mobile business apps that target a wide range of industries and businesses. Dubbed "IBM MobileFirst for iOS", the suite of ten apps hopes to "bring IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities to iPhone and iPad users."
With the initial batch including apps focused on the finance, air-travel, and banking industries, IBM also confirmed a few clients including Citi, Air Canada, Sprint, and Banorte will support the MobileFirst program starting today.
One of the ten apps, Sales Assist, is retail-focused and, for example, allows workers to view customer profiles with extensive back-history on previous purchases to help make informed suggestions tailored to specific users. It can also check a store's inventory, find missing in-store items, and ship items unavailable in-store to customers at home. There's one app that grants pilots easier control over flight manifests and schedules, another that provides personalized in-flight services for passengers, and multiple apps focused on banking and case advisers.
The apps, built exclusively for iPhone and iPad, "are delivered in a secure environment, embedded with analytics and linked to core enterprise processes." The two companies ensure that the apps can be developed and adjusted to fit any company, and once out in the wild are easily managed and upgraded thanks to cloud services provided by IBM. All apps are highly secure as well, and the partners promise that more apps are "being continuously designed and developed" for release in the future.
With the initial batch including apps focused on the finance, air-travel, and banking industries, IBM also confirmed a few clients including Citi, Air Canada, Sprint, and Banorte will support the MobileFirst program starting today.
“What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business—smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement,” said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, IBM Global Business Services. “Our collaboration combines IBM’s industry expertise and unmatched position in enterprise computing, with Apple’s legendary user experience and excellence in product design to lift the performance of a new generation of business professionals.”
One of the ten apps, Sales Assist, is retail-focused and, for example, allows workers to view customer profiles with extensive back-history on previous purchases to help make informed suggestions tailored to specific users. It can also check a store's inventory, find missing in-store items, and ship items unavailable in-store to customers at home. There's one app that grants pilots easier control over flight manifests and schedules, another that provides personalized in-flight services for passengers, and multiple apps focused on banking and case advisers.
The apps, built exclusively for iPhone and iPad, "are delivered in a secure environment, embedded with analytics and linked to core enterprise processes." The two companies ensure that the apps can be developed and adjusted to fit any company, and once out in the wild are easily managed and upgraded thanks to cloud services provided by IBM. All apps are highly secure as well, and the partners promise that more apps are "being continuously designed and developed" for release in the future.
“This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organizations will put iOS devices to work,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done.”The official websites of both Apple and IBM provide a deeper dive into the program with extensive looks into each of the ten apps announced today.
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60 months ago
Why? Just for Apple to gain marketshare in the enterprise arena and decide to scale back in the consumer market?
Success in one market does not require failure or even a decrease in another market.Also, if enterprise is so good... What happened to Blackberry? ;)
BB did not fail simply because their market was primarily enterprise. They failed due to not adapting to market changes.
60 months ago
Hoping for the best! Apple needs an increased foot in the enterprise arena.
Just more evidence you don't need a keyboard and Microsoft office to be productive.
60 months ago
Really love what Apple is doing with iOS. Features like control centre, technologies like Metal and Extensibility, and now this enterprise stuff. Great! Frustrated people hate on iOS for being "dumb" or "*****".
60 months ago
Now how about apple make iOS for the iPad that's more then a blown up iPhone iOS
Embarrassing having a 3x3 folder grid on a 10" iPad Air 2 screen
Embarrassing having a 3x3 folder grid on a 10" iPad Air 2 screen
60 months ago
Also, if enterprise is so good... What happened to Blackberry? ;)
If consumer is so good... What happened to Nokia? ;)
60 months ago
Smartphones are really about the software. The hardware is just an enabler for that. This move should make iOS stronger. The line is becoming much more than an iToy.
60 months ago
Hoping for the best! Apple needs an increased foot in the enterprise arena.
60 months ago
Some of those apps look really nice. If they were designed by Apple can we get those folks to start working on Apple's first party iOS apps?
60 months ago
Why? Just for Apple to gain marketshare in the enterprise arena and decide to scale back in the consumer market?
Also, if enterprise is so good... What happened to Blackberry? ;)
Apple happened to Blackberry. Personally, as an enterprise IT professional, we lost a LOT of control over granularity and data security with the switch from Blackberry to Apple. These apps, as well as a focus on enterprise, is a very welcome change. I would love to see some of the features from Blackberry Enterprise Server (BES) return. Mobile Device Management in an Apple world leaves a lot to be desired. I definitely welcome this shift (or increase) in focus with open arms!
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