iPhone: I Hate to Say We Told You So ...
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A story today reported the stunning news that iPhones are a hit with business users. Oh, really? The story is not that businesses are deploying the iPhone as their standard smart-phone platform--no, that really would be news. The story is that some companies are bowing to employee pressure to use the way-cool device. "This isn't necessarily iPhone deployment by way of the IT department, but it's by people who really want to use this device and IT is responding in a really positive way," said Michael Gartenberg, an analyst with market research firm Jupiter Research, in the story. Now, I hate to say we told you so, but we told you so. In fact, when the iPhone was released, I said in a column, "History has shown us time and time again that it's not always the IT organization that sets the technology agenda, especially when it comes to devices. ... I have no doubt that IT managers will stay the iPhone course, at least for now, but there's the support you provide to devices approved for use across the organization, and there's the support you provide for devices that the CEO has brought in. Executive toys have a way of trickling down the enterprise. IT managers may have their work cut out for them to stanch the flow." I find it hard to believe that those in the IT department have responded in a "really positive way," supporting onesie-twosie iPhones. In fact, IT pros I spoke to when the iPhone was released were dreading the inevitable first visit from an end user saying, "I got an iPhone! Can you make everything work on it? I'll be back for it in an hour. Thanks!") Granted, Apple has made some changes since that column was posted that make the iPhone more palatable for corporate use. Vendors such as Google and SAP are developing apps that will work on the iPhone platform, and Apple itself announced that it will provide an SDK next year for building third-party iPhone apps. But connectivity and corporate e-mail limitations remain, and the price is still relatively high (despite that price drop in September that angered so many of the people who waited in line for the device). The iPhone is way-cool--and hard to resist. If you want proof, check out our holiday gadget guide. And know that many of the responses I've received to the question at the end, "What's on your gadget wish list this year?" have been "the iPhone." And so, I'll make another prediction here: At the beginning of 2008, after all of the holiday gifts have been opened and people shuffle back to work, IT managers will have their work cut out for them (or will perhaps respond in a really positive way) when dealing with Round 2 of the corporate iPhone encroachment.
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Comments (10)
imagine how hard the IT dudes have to work down here in new zealand where the iphone isn't even launched!!
Posted by steve | December 8, 2007 8:07 PM
So, what happened to the iPhone as an unsafe email platform? Does anybody care that this thing is os hackable? It should draw the line at unsafe platforms.
Posted by Dale | December 10, 2007 10:03 AM
IT Departments need to draw the line against such unsafe devices until the manufacturer provides the necessary resource to make them a viable platform for business messaging & security. This device provides no protection for your email.
Posted by Dale | December 10, 2007 10:08 AM
I.T. departments everywhere are usually eating dust when it comes to implementation of user-centric devices.
Usually this is due to two reasons: lack of existing resources to support it, and an absolute firewall block mentally against anything that has less security than existing systems.
iPhones need to have a risk-benefit analysis for every business that employs them. If the CEO, board members, and stockholders are comfortable with the level of legal and financial risk involved, then go for it. Otherwise, better to BAN their use until the benefits outweigh the risks.
Posted by Michael D. Houst | December 10, 2007 10:20 AM
Our IT Dept. will not have to worry about the iPhone for quite a long time. We recently set Windows Mobile devices as the sole Company Standard, and neither of our contract wireless carriers is AT&T. Further, we have a strict policy against connecting employee-owned devices to the company network.
Hold the line, IT managers! The iPhone is an expensive, vulnerable toy - not a secure business tool.
Posted by MarkOne | December 10, 2007 10:54 AM
because you can use it with just about any webpage if the company has some sort of webmail it can usually be accessed that way if they really want to use their iphone.
Posted by aaron Miller | December 13, 2007 11:13 AM
Like it or not, the IPhone is here. The best that we have been able to do, is to recommend against them. We also educate our users on the security risks. This seems to have prevented any of our user spending money on a non-supported device.
Posted by KDog | December 13, 2007 12:20 PM
I am using a iphone and i don't think it's ready yet for business use. It's still lacking some basic features which i am sure Apple is working on right now. A bigger keyboard,voice dialing and choosing my own ringtone are some of the things i'd like to see in the next release.
Posted by Hani | December 13, 2007 1:24 PM
Hi Dale: the iPhone is LESS hackable than Windows Mobile-based devices. In fact, its pretty locked-down. name one worm or virus for it despite the fact it is outselling ALL Windows Mobile devices combined now. Yet I can point to numerous Windows Mobile and RIM viruses and worms. The insecurity of the iPhone is a myth perpetrated by three groups: competitors, pundits who are shills fro competitors, and craven IT people who don't want to do their jobs--but as the article states--soon enough they have to get to work on it.
Hi Hani: you can change ringtones--Apple has provided the tool about 3 weeks ago--officially. The keyboard is fine in size for most users I know though an option to make it bigger is just a software change Voice dialing would be nice--don't know too many corp users who use that though.
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Posted by kent g anderson | January 10, 2008 10:12 AM