IBM Launches New Service to Deploy Macs to Businesses Around the World

Wednesday August 5, 2015 7:08 am PDT by Mitchel Broussard
imac_27_angleIBM today announced the launch of a new service that will allow large companies to easily incorporate Mac computers into their preexisting corporate infrastructure. The service, being deployed by IBM's MobileFirst Managed Mobility Services unit, will be aimed at companies around the world and not just based in the United States.

Thanks to the MobileFirst partnership with Apple that has brought about multiple waves of enterprise-focused apps as the company has increased its own usage of Macs, IBM saw an opportunity to commercialize its expertise in "enterprise deployment" of Macs in the workplace.
“Ease of adoption and use are at the foundation of every Apple product, and as these devices are used more in the workplace, people expect the same experience they enjoy with Apple technology in their personal lives,” said Richard Patterson, general manager, Infrastructure Services, IBM Global Technology Services. “IBM’s new enterprise services ensure a great user experience for clients using Macs, providing world-class support from installation through the life of the product.”
The company promises that the new MobileFirst service will be completely headache-free for clients, with the Macs delivered directly to customers and ready to go out of the box with easy network access setup screens and security measures. It will also support the personal Macs of employees if they bring their own devices to work. The source of the quick-and-painless software setup is a partnership with JAMF Software and its Casper Suite, the "leading solution" for the quick deployment and setup of enterprise computers.

Today's news comes after an internal video of IBM chief information officer Jeff Smith that leaked late last week, in which Smith told employees that the company could end up purchasing 150,000-200,000 Macs annually, significantly more than the original estimate of 50,000 Macs deployed through the end of the year announced in internal memo earlier in the year. IBM has told Apple it expects the initiative could eventually see 50-75 percent of IBM employees switching over to Mac from the company-standard Lenovo computers used at IBM.

Tags: IBM, MobileFirst
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snebes
58 months ago

Surely, for business monitors, many workers need non-reflective, anti-glare, matte screens. Working people are looking at the screens virtually all day. Eyestrain is a terrible price to pay for having an attractive work of artistic, Jon Ive creation. People just need to get their work done, and many people suffer from eye strain from glossy screens. When is Apple going to stop this madness of only insisting on producing glossy screens?

Please don't tell me that the current iMac screens are less reflective. When I go to an Apple showroom, and I can see the mirror reflection of what's behind me, seen clearly in the mirror reflection on the iMac screen, I do not want that reflection in a computer I use for work.

As someone who has worked off an iMac under office fluorescents for years now, I can assure you, glare isn't that big of a deal. And considering the ****** state of cheap office monitors, although matte, look awful and cause me eye strain looking at them for extended periods.
Rating: 26 Votes
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MacFather
58 months ago
How things have changed...


Rating: 22 Votes
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unplugme71
58 months ago

Surely, for business monitors, many workers need non-reflective, anti-glare, matte screens. Working people are looking at the screens virtually all day. Eyestrain is a terrible price to pay for having an attractive work of artistic, Jon Ive creation. People just need to get their work done, and many people suffer from eye strain from glossy screens. When is Apple going to stop this madness of only insisting on producing glossy screens?

Please don't tell me that the current iMac screens are less reflective. When I go to an Apple showroom, and I can see the mirror reflection of what's behind me, seen clearly in the mirror reflection on the iMac screen, I do not want that reflection in a computer I use for work.


The lighting in stores doesn't always reflect that of corporate America.

We have Macs in our campus at work and nobody ever has complained.
Rating: 13 Votes
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hotpotato123
58 months ago
Surely, for business monitors, many workers need non-reflective, anti-glare, matte screens. Working people are looking at the screens virtually all day. Eyestrain is a terrible price to pay for having an attractive work of artistic, Jon Ive creation. People just need to get their work done, and many people suffer from eye strain from glossy screens. When is Apple going to stop this madness of only insisting on producing glossy screens?

Please don't tell me that the current iMac screens are less reflective. When I go to an Apple showroom, and I can see the mirror reflection of what's behind me, seen clearly in the mirror reflection on the iMac screen, I do not want that reflection in a computer I use for work.
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
aristobrat
58 months ago

Fascinating that IBM would turn to Apple Macs at the corporate level.

If they're going to be getting in the enterprise Mac management arena, it's good to see they're eating what they're selling. :)

Surely, for business monitors, many workers need non-reflective, anti-glare, matte screens. Working people are looking at the screens virtually all day. Eyestrain is a terrible price to pay for having an attractive work of artistic, Jon Ive creation. People just need to get their work done, and many people suffer from eye strain from glossy screens. When is Apple going to stop this madness of only insisting on producing glossy screens?

Please don't tell me that the current iMac screens are less reflective. When I go to an Apple showroom, and I can see the mirror reflection of what's behind me, seen clearly in the mirror reflection on the iMac screen, I do not want that reflection in a computer I use for work.

We've only got ~50 Macs where I work, but the number of complaints from those folks about glare and eye strain = 0. And trust me when I say they're not a group of folks that keep complaints to themselves.
Rating: 9 Votes
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nostaws
58 months ago
"Headache-free"? How do you quantify/qualify that?
I have a headache right now. Do I get some sort of reimbursement?
Rating: 8 Votes
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Zirel
58 months ago

Surely, for business monitors, many workers need non-reflective, anti-glare, matte screens. Working people are looking at the screens virtually all day. Eyestrain is a terrible price to pay for having an attractive work of artistic, Jon Ive creation. People just need to get their work done, and many people suffer from eye strain from glossy screens. When is Apple going to stop this madness of only insisting on producing glossy screens?

Please don't tell me that the current iMac screens are less reflective. When I go to an Apple showroom, and I can see the mirror reflection of what's behind me, seen clearly in the mirror reflection on the iMac screen, I do not want that reflection in a computer I use for work.


Here comes the guy who thinks Apple is as incompetent as those PC brands...

Showrooms have much excess of light coming from all directions, much unlike the typical office.

Once you use a GLASS monitor, you won't want to go back to those crappy "mate" screens that are nothing more than a cheap plastic put over another piece of regular plastic.
Rating: 8 Votes
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lkrupp
58 months ago
Interesting to me is how the tech media has chosen to completely ignore this partnership. All these years of laughing at the idea of Macs in the Enterprise and now this paradigm change being ignored.
Rating: 6 Votes
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Four oF NINE
58 months ago
Fascinating that IBM would turn to Apple Macs at the corporate level.
Rating: 5 Votes
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CreatorCode
58 months ago

IBM was losing the PC market due to decline in sales and heavy competition.


IBM hasn't had any skin in the PC game for a decade now.

IBM has switched to doing what they've always done best: selling things to big companies. Only difference is, now, some of those things are Apple products.

I'm sure IBM will still (re-) sell Lenovo products as well. Heck, IBM will probably sell you a Volkswagen or a roll of paper towels if you're willing to give them a commission.
Rating: 5 Votes

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