The iPhone: A Serious Business Device?

First, the iPhone uses iTunes to sync and, as such, will sync fine with PC machines.

Second, the most popular push-email application is the blackberry and they aint sharin’ so iPhone is in the same boat as all the other Smartphones out there. It was not part of the announcement but the non-blackberry push-email providers may be working on support for the device. But since there will be support for Imap-Push new services and gateways for existing service will not be difficult to develop.

Third, I am a business user and what I need is a phone that I can get calls, email, and voicemail which it looks like iPhone will do well.

I have to agree with you that the lack of a memory expansion using an SD card or something like that is disappointing.

First, the iPhone uses iTunes to sync and, as such, will sync fine with PC machines.

Second, the most popular push-email application is the blackberry and they aint sharin’ so iPhone is in the same boat as all the other Smartphones out there. It was not part of the announcement but the non-blackberry push-email providers may be working on support for the device. But since there will be support for Imap-Push new services and gateways for existing service will not be difficult to develop.

Third, I am a business user and what I need is a phone that I can get calls, email, and voicemail which it looks like iPhone will do well.

I have to agree with you that the lack of a memory expansion using an SD card or something like that is disappointing.

Obviously, the iPhone will sync with everything Apple – its just the rest of the computing world that can’t sync with it. Hence, you can’t sync with Exchange/Outlook, Blackberry, GroupWise, Notes. So what enterprise user will be able to use this with their existing services? Answer: none, unless they are a Mac shop.

Yes as a business individual, you can fit it into your life quite well, especially if your a Mac user.

You mention that no other device but Blackberry works with Blackberry push-mail. This is not true, you can find Blackberry Connect clients for Palm Symbian, and Windows Mobile. The negative to this is, of course, that each client is supported only by the mobile carrier, so you’re at their mercy for support.

I’m also a business user. In fact I design, implement, and support the IT architectures that make all this great stuff happen for my employer. If we had to start supporting the iPhone, there would be no services we could in good conceince offer to our employees. Forwarding their email to Yahoo! is not an option simply because of security concerns and data retention & integrity.

Lack of a keyboard/keypad is another problem – how do you answer emails? If its a serious business device, they must have thought about how users would answer emails. The Blackberry has a keyboard. The BlackJack, Q, Dash, E65, MDA, 8515, 8525 all have QWERTY keyboards for quick emails.

There is no question that the iPhone will change mobile phones – it will, and for the better. It’s just not a serious business device. Perhaps the next version.

Obviously, the iPhone will sync with everything Apple – its just the rest of the computing world that can’t sync with it. Hence, you can’t sync with Exchange/Outlook, Blackberry, GroupWise, Notes. So what enterprise user will be able to use this with their existing services? Answer: none, unless they are a Mac shop.

Yes as a business individual, you can fit it into your life quite well, especially if your a Mac user.

You mention that no other device but Blackberry works with Blackberry push-mail. This is not true, you can find Blackberry Connect clients for Palm Symbian, and Windows Mobile. The negative to this is, of course, that each client is supported only by the mobile carrier, so you’re at their mercy for support.

I’m also a business user. In fact I design, implement, and support the IT architectures that make all this great stuff happen for my employer. If we had to start supporting the iPhone, there would be no services we could in good conceince offer to our employees. Forwarding their email to Yahoo! is not an option simply because of security concerns and data retention & integrity.

Lack of a keyboard/keypad is another problem – how do you answer emails? If its a serious business device, they must have thought about how users would answer emails. The Blackberry has a keyboard. The BlackJack, Q, Dash, E65, MDA, 8515, 8525 all have QWERTY keyboards for quick emails.

There is no question that the iPhone will change mobile phones – it will, and for the better. It’s just not a serious business device. Perhaps the next version.

I wouldn’t say iPhone is a serious business device. Rather I’d say, BlackBerry is the best for business uses.

I wouldn’t say iPhone is a serious business device. Rather I’d say, BlackBerry is the best for business uses.

Agel Enterprise – for most people the BlackBerry is the end-all-be-all of mobile existence. I’ll even admit that it isn’t bad at all in it’s latest versions – very easy to get messaging done.

However, with the addition of Microsoft’s Exchange mobile mail solution in the next version of the iPhone I believe that it will become the choice of business folks going forward. Especially as more of Gen-Y is brought into the enterprise. The trend will continue in that direction.

Agel Enterprise – for most people the BlackBerry is the end-all-be-all of mobile existence. I’ll even admit that it isn’t bad at all in it’s latest versions – very easy to get messaging done.

However, with the addition of Microsoft’s Exchange mobile mail solution in the next version of the iPhone I believe that it will become the choice of business folks going forward. Especially as more of Gen-Y is brought into the enterprise. The trend will continue in that direction.

I think your assumptions are well grounded, but revisiting this topic (now) months later, I believe that the iPhone’s sheer mass appeal has it penetrating the business sector in substantial numbers.

The iPhone is excellent, and actually the best, at web surfing. This feature is quickly becoming the most important aspect for smartphones. Apple’s slick mobile browser and next-generation (compared to its competitors) touch interface has given them a decided advantage at keeping this lead for the foreseeable future (at least +1 year IMO).

Sure, lacking a physical keyboard will always make e-mail more cumbersome on the iPhone, but will it be enough to keep people from buying into its coolness factor? Looks like it hasn’t.

Furthermore, as more and more businesses experiment and switch to Apple notebooks and desktops, it sort of produces a halo effect for the brand, although in this case it’s in the opposite direction than has traditionally been the case.

I think your assumptions are well grounded, but revisiting this topic (now) months later, I believe that the iPhone’s sheer mass appeal has it penetrating the business sector in substantial numbers.

The iPhone is excellent, and actually the best, at web surfing. This feature is quickly becoming the most important aspect for smartphones. Apple’s slick mobile browser and next-generation (compared to its competitors) touch interface has given them a decided advantage at keeping this lead for the foreseeable future (at least +1 year IMO).

Sure, lacking a physical keyboard will always make e-mail more cumbersome on the iPhone, but will it be enough to keep people from buying into its coolness factor? Looks like it hasn’t.

Furthermore, as more and more businesses experiment and switch to Apple notebooks and desktops, it sort of produces a halo effect for the brand, although in this case it’s in the opposite direction than has traditionally been the case.

Clearly it really comes down to just how you use the device. Before my current online incantation, I was a Principal with (formerly) Sprint Mobile Wireless Computing Practice. While I had to carry around all of our devices, and a number of competitors, what I found most beneficial was simply having a telephone that I could make calls with. I’m sure my opinions would be somewhat different had I the chance to interact with the iPhone, and I wish I had. But at the end of my day, I still just want to make a phone call!

Service Scene´s last blog post..Get Your Rocks

Clearly it really comes down to just how you use the device. Before my current online incantation, I was a Principal with (formerly) Sprint Mobile Wireless Computing Practice. While I had to carry around all of our devices, and a number of competitors, what I found most beneficial was simply having a telephone that I could make calls with. I’m sure my opinions would be somewhat different had I the chance to interact with the iPhone, and I wish I had. But at the end of my day, I still just want to make a phone call!

Service Scene´s last blog post..Get Your Rocks

For me my iPhone isn’t just a bauble. So, yeah…

For me my iPhone isn’t just a bauble. So, yeah…

Well the initial iPhone may have been more of a novelty, but certainly with the updates & popular uptake along with the iPhone 3G, it has become a business tool where before I really didn’t think it would be.

In many ways I’m glad to have been proven wrong as it’s making a sea change happen in mobile today.

Well the initial iPhone may have been more of a novelty, but certainly with the updates & popular uptake along with the iPhone 3G, it has become a business tool where before I really didn’t think it would be.

In many ways I’m glad to have been proven wrong as it’s making a sea change happen in mobile today.

Thanks very nice blog
iPhone is good

Thanks very nice blog
iPhone is good