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October 5, 2015 - by Synoptek
Many corporate decision makers see Apple computer products as the right solution for marketing and other graphic applications, but recent developments have broadened Apple applicability to the full range of corporate computing requirements.
“Easy to use is easy to say”
The quote is credited to Jeff Garbers, a Microstuf program designer who helped create InfoScope, one of the earliest tools for managing unstructured data. It’s as true today as when he first said it about twenty years ago. Many users simply do not find Windows to be “easy to use.”
Many of these users were among the first to clamor for the Apple iPad, and have upgraded their Apple iPhones faithfully every time a new version is released. Many of these, and others, own a MacBook or iMac for home use. Why? If you ask, they’ll more often than not tell you “because they’re simply easier to use.”
None of this is new, nor should it come as a revelation. Those who were around way back in 1983 will remember when the Macintosh was first introduced as coming with “an intuitive interface, application interoperability, everything you need in one small, transportable case.” Many will remember it being dubbed “the computer for the rest of us” and “the more personal personal computer.”
It would take twenty years for Apple to realize that “the rest of us” were mainly consumers, and create the incredible success they’ve enjoyed with the iPod, iPhone, iPad and more by focusing on the enormous consumer appetite for excellent electronic devices.
BYOD May Have Told Apple “Behold Your Open Door!”
It should be no mystery, then, that the rush to “Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) launched a flood of enterprise users clamoring to use their Macs, iPads, and iPhones to access corporate resources and get work done on a device they consider to be much easier to use.
This has led Apple to come full circle back to the enterprise market.”If you look at the last 12 months, (enterprise sales for Apple were) $25 billion,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a one-on-one interview conducted by Box CEO Aaron Levie and reported in the September 29, 2015 issue of USA Today. “This is not a hobby. This is a real business.” Reporter Jon Swartz goes on to conclude, “That $25 billion is about 14% of Apple’s revenue over the last year. Big business is a big deal for Apple.”
While users may be attracted by the ease-of-use features, Apple must still convince corporate IT managers and executives that these devices and the applications that run on them can be managed and secured.
New Partnerships
To encourage executive decision makers and propel their growth in the enterprise market, Apple has entered into several strategic partnerships over the past several months.
Apple partnered with former arch-rival IBM to create more mobile applications for the iPhone. According to Alastair Mitchell writing in Wired, “With the IBM/Apple partnership set to deliver more than 100 industry-specific iPhone and iPad apps for verticals, including banking, healthcare and retail, and IBM’s MobileFirst Supply and Management program, the offering for enterprise certainly looks promising.”
Apple has also partnered with Cisco to improve network optimization and expand upon their ability to facilitate unified communications, enabling customers to use their existing data network investments to also conduct voice, video, collaboration, and other corporate communications.
Talk to Synoptek
Many Synoptek clients have already chosen Apple as their preferred platform. As you approach key information projects such as BYOD, collaboration, communications, big data and more, talk to us about your goals, your objectives, and also about your concerns. Synoptek brings expertise on Windows, Apple and other platforms to help you choose objectively based on what will serve you best and deliver the greatest ongoing return on your information management investments.
We combine this with experience gained with thousands of clients across many environments and platforms to provide the best possible guidance, superior design, expert deployment, and the ongoing management and support services to assure ongoing success.
Want to Learn More About Apple in the Enterprise?
Watch our recent Webinar – “Apple in the Enterprise: Are You Ready for Apple?”
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