14 DAY TRIAL // Cupertino-based Apple Inc. and Armonk’s IBM have released a joint statement announcing the availability of the first wave of MobileFirst apps for iOS, a suite of solutions for banking, retail, insurance, finance, telecommunications, governments, and airlines.
Once regarded as Big Brother and an enemy of Apple’s, IBM is now a partner of the Mac maker. The two companies worked hard together to deliver apps with embedded analytics and linked to core enterprise processes that have been designed exclusively for iPhone and iPad.
MobileFirst for iOS apps
Each of the apps can be specifically tailored for the organization they’re being deployed in, and they can be managed and upgraded through the cloud.
IBM MobileFirst for iOS is basically a suite which, at inception, features the following apps: Plan Flight (Travel and Transportation), Passenger+ (Travel and Transportation), Advise & Grow (Banking and Financial Markets), Trusted Advice (Banking and Financial Markets), Retention (Insurance), Case Advice (Government), Incident Aware (Government), Sales Assist (Retail), Pick & Pack (Retail), Expert Tech (Telecommunications).
This is only the first run of apps as part of the MobileFirst suite with additional solutions being designed and developed for future release, according to the two technology giants.
Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, IBM Global Business Services, said, “What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business—smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement. Our collaboration combines IBM’s industry expertise and unmatched position in enterprise computing, with Apple’s legendary user experience and excellence in product design to lift the performance of a new generation of business professionals.”
Commenting for Apple, marketing chief Phil Schiller said, “This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organizations will put iOS devices to work. The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done.”
Supplemental services
Through their invaluable banking, retail, finance, and governmental solutions, IBM and Apple also offer global industry consulting expertise, workflow and cloud storage, fleet-scale device management, security and integration, end-to-end procurement, deployment and lifecycle management, IBM Global Financing leasing options and services, as well as AppleCare for Enterprise.
Interested parties can learn more about the new Apple and IBM partnership by visiting www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/mobilefirst-for-ios.html and www.apple.com/business/mobile-enterprise-apps/.
It will be interesting to see how much Apple and IBM will affect rival Microsoft in the business sector with the MobileFirst suite.
