New Delhi, July 16 – Apple and IBM have announced an exclusive global partnership for developing a new breed of iOS apps for the enterprise,for the iPhone and iPad. The partnership strives to create more than 100 new specialised enterprise native apps developed from the ground up for the iPhone and iPad.
IBM’s cloud services will be optimised for iOS including facilities like device management, security, analytics and mobile integration. As a part of the partnership, Apple will create a new Apple Care service that will support specific needs of its enterprise users.
Notably, IBM will sell new packaged iOS devices specifically tailored for the enterprise. This includes devices activation, supply and management. Apple as a result of the partnership will be able leverage IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities with more than 100,000 IBM industry and domain consultants and software developers behind it.
“iPhone and iPad are the best mobile devices in the world and have transformed the way people work with over 98 percent of the Fortune 500 and over 92 percent of the Global 500 using iOS devices in their business today,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO.
“For the first time ever we’re putting IBM’s renowned big data analytics at iOS users’ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple. This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver.” Apple and IBM want to create a new breed of enterprise solutions that will be specifically customised for iOS hardware.
Both the companies will collaborate to build IBM Mobile First and iOS solutions specifically targeting retail, healthcare, banking, travel, transportation,telecommunications and insurance by the fall of 2015.
IBM’s MobileFirst platform will deliver a vertically integrated enterprise suite for iOS users that will offer analytics, work flow, cloud storage, fleet scale device management, security and integration. Mobile management features will include private app catalogues, data and transaction security services, and a productivity suite.
In addition to this, services like BlueMix, IBM’s development platform will be available via its Cloud Markeplace. Commenting at the announcement, IBM’s Chairman, President and CEO, Ginny Rometty said “Mobility-combined with the phenomena of data and cloud-is transforming business and our industry in historic ways, allowing people to re-imagine work, industries and professions.
This alliance with Apple will build on our momentum in bringing these innovations to our clients globally, and leverages IBM’s leadership in analytics, cloud, software and services.
We are delighted to be teaming with Apple, whose innovations have transformed our lives in ways we take for granted, but can’t imagine living without. Our alliance will bring the same kind of transformation to the waypeople work, industries operate and companies perform.”
-INDIA TODAY
