Apple’s smartphones and tablets may have a loyal customer base, but Apple is hoping to make its devices more popular in the enterprise market by partnering with IBM to business-centric apps and services to the iPhone and iPad.

ibm mobilefirst

Here are some of the highlights from the IBM MobileFirst for iOS announcement:

  • IBM will offer cloud services for iOS including security, analytics, and device management features.
  • There’s a new AppleCare service and support plan for enterprise customers.
  • IBM will offer new packages to customers that include activation, supply, and management of iOS devices.

The companies say they’re working on more than 100 mobile enterprise solutions including mobile apps and cloud services designed for enterprise customers in specific industries.

While it’s unusual for Apple to partner with another company in this way, Apple’s Tim Cook and IBM’s Ginni Rometty explain to Recode that they each bring something different to the table, with Apple offering a strong consumer experience and IBM bringing business expertise to the table.

Among other things, the partnership could help encourage companies to support BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) setups where employees can use their own phones or tablets securely in a professional environment.

 

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7 replies on “Apple aims for enterprise customers with IBM partnership”

  1. If they get the essentials down, will microsoft start to worry? They also got google on their behind too.

  2. Business makes for odd bedfellows…
    Hey that was their parents that did all that fighting years ago, right?

    1. This thing happens all the time in corporate America. The same two companies can be avowed enemies in one part of their business while simultaneously cooperating hand in glove somewhere else. Pragmatism is strong when profits are at stake.

  3. Well the company inpersonating the rationalism and the long term view in the information technology world allying with the one incarnating exactly the opposite, eg a purely sensorial/emotional approach of computing, looking to hide systematical whaterver looks too much technical (which is basically a pure heresy for a traditional IBMer)
    Guy at ibm don’t have a good memory… remember what happenend to the comon point project, to the chrp plateform…

  4. Big surprise, but upon thinking about it, it makes perfect sense. This should be good for both companies…and corporations/the consumer.

  5. I didn’t see that one coming… Weren’t IBM and Microsoft represented as Big Brother in the ‘1984’ Macintosh commercial?

    1. It’s not unheard of that IBM and Apple has cooperated, the AIM alliance comes to mind.

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