Two long time rivals, Apple and IBM, announced this week that they will join in an exclusive partnership that will help companies build mobile business apps. Their goal is to combine Apple’s simplistic user experience with IBM’s enterprise expertise in security, big data, analytics, and back end systems integration. This new relationship will spur companies and app developers to produce a new line of apps; apps built with a fresh approach integrating mobility, cloud, and analytics.
This partnership promises four core capabilities:
- To deliver 100+ industry-specific enterprise solutions including native apps
- To create products solely for iOS devices (Example: iPhone and iPad)
- To offer an enterprise version of AppleCare service including 24/7 support and on-site support provided by IBM
- To supply, activate, and manage iOS devices provided by IBM
Image: Forbes
In addition, IBM will offer cloud services that are catered to iOS. To name a few, mobile device management, security, analytics, and mobile integration. Apple company stated, “[We are working together with IBM] to bring iPhone, iPad, and IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps to enterprises around the world. Our exclusive global partnership will deliver a new class of apps that connect users to big data and analytics right on their iOS devices with more ease and efficiency than ever before. Apple and IBM are redefining the mobile enterprise by combining the exponential power of corporate data with the world’s best mobile technology.”
The Future Holds a New World of Possibilities
Imagine being able to deliver company information to your customers – with the right information, at the right time, and on their device of choice? It could be a game changer. As stated by Forbes writer, Maribel Lopez, “These contextual services require companies to collect, store, and analyze information from various sources, including [devices]. IBM offers best in class big data and analytics solutions where developers store and analyze the future torrent of incoming contextual data (e.g. location, motion, environmental conditions) from mobile devices and future Internet of Things devices.” So what does this mean exactly? It means that the upcoming business apps will be able to deliver information – better and faster. Employees will have quick access to a plethora of information and can turn that knowledge into revenue.
Also See: 4 Tips on How to Secure Your Business in the Mobile World
IBM and Apple may seem like an unlikely partnership, since both companies are on opposite ends of the digital spectrum. However, their partnership offers a power like nothing we have ever seen before. Business processes and services will be learning, adaptive, and predictive. Apple and IBM will eventually have the ability to take our digital experience from a PC era to a mobile plus cloud era. So what happens when you take the old (legacy systems) with the new (mobile apps) and yet to be discovered (big data analytics)? Genius designs like you have never experienced. At some point in the future, words like “mobile,” “cloud” and “big data” will slowly fade and become a distant memory.
In what ways do you think this partnership will change your business approach to overall engagement with customers? How do you think this will transform your business processes? Send us a tweet or message us on Twitter @AeroCom_Inc