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The Enterprising iPhone
Always enterprising Apple is bringing the iPhone to the enterprise. As part of Steve Jobs' latest Apple roadmap conference, on March 6, he unveiled the iPhone Enterprise Beta Program, the precursor to iPhone 2.0, the app that puts the iPhone into the business arena.
The iPhone Enterprise Beta Program gives IT personnel an opportunity to test out this new innovation in their respective corporate environments. Among other exciting features of this new software is support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, wherein those companies using Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 or 2007 will be able to securely push company emails, contacts, and calendar events wirelessly over EDGE or Wi-Fi networks directly to enabled iPhones. This allows employers and employees to stay 100% on top of all changes and updates to their business. Plus, users will have an easier-than-ever time accepting invitations to meetings and locating contacts - whether in their company's directory or GAL (Global Address List)by means of their iPhones' Multi-Touch display.
This Microsoft Exchange support will also allow IT administrators to more heavily enforce company security protocols, even remotely wipe confidential company data. And speaking of "remote", iPhone 2.0 will permit IT administrators to completely deploy all the iPhone's features throughout all of a company's departments remotely, enjoying previously unheard-of economy and efficiency.
Microsoft Exchange support is far from the only innovation appearing with the iPhone 2.0 for the Enterprise. The software also supports the Cisco IPsec Virtual Private Network, ensuring that participating businesses enjoy the ultimate in digital security, with the capability to transmit sensitive company data using absolute highest levels of IP-based encryption. This means employees can authenticate in a wide variety of fashions, including two-factor token, digital certificate, password, even 802.1 x and WPA2 Enterprise network authentication.
Plus, through a partnership with AT&T, companies can even receive special corporate rates for the iPhones their businesses employ.
All this functions to make the iPhone the most promising new mode of secure intra-company communication in existence.
In order to qualify to participate in the Beta testing of the new iPhone Enterprise software, companies must meet certain criteria. For starters, no more than five personnel can be permitted to test the software, one of whom must have administrative access to the company's IT infrastructure, and another of whom is to be considered the designated technical lead who will act as Apple's primary contact. Each member of the team will be assigned a dedicated iPhone for the duration of the testing process. All participants must read and agree to the Apple Customer Seed and Confidentiality Agreement terms. And at least one Mac computer running Mac OS X Leopard v 10.5.2 or later must be present and operational in the corporate environment.
Granted, the pre-release announcement has spurred much debate amongst Apple advocates and detractors, but that's not anything new. How well the iPhone can be integrated into the Enterprise, only time and sufficient Beta testing will tell. But one thing is for sure - if it works, we can expect iPhone 2.0 to fast become as ubiquitous as everything else Apple puts out.
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