“The reason isn’t a mystery. Apple’s mercurial CEO decided a decade ago that corporate IT departments weren’t worth the trouble. Though they buy tech gear by the truckload, when it comes to computers they often favor stripped-down, predictable technology – the stuff Jobs finds boring. Rather than chase that business, he has courted upscale consumers with innovative devices like the iMac and iPod that are as fashionable as they are functional. It’s hard to argue with the results: Apple stock is up nearly 2,000 percent in the last 10 years,” Fortt and Lev-Ram write.
“But now as Jobs seeks to turbocharge sales of the 3G iPhone, he’ll have no choice but to embrace the corporate stiffs,” Fortt and Lev-Ram write. “That’s because while Apple’s computer and iPod sales are healthy, analysts believe the popular smartphone has the most growth potential – and business buyers could be the key to its success.”
Fortt and Lev-Ram ask, “Can Apple do it?”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Carl H” for the heads up.]
These guys dont’ get Steve Jobs. Unlike the rest of corporate America, he doesn’t look upon the public with scorn and ask, “What junk for the highest profit can I foist upon the most ‘tards?” IMO, Jobs gets out of bed and sets about making tools that he, himself finds cool & useful, and suspects others will want them as well. He builds for himself, knowing it will sell. This is what separates Apple from everyone. Then again, perhaps I’ve read too much Ayn Rand.
listen to mobileadmin. he understands the dynamics.
Mobile Admin,
Your comments are extremely enlightening and I truly thank you for bringing some knowledge into this.
I could have done without your condescending first sentence and with all-encompassing statements like point #4 (there is absolutely no way that EVERYONE thinks that they just can’t live without a keypad or that they think the GUI is great…there is always at least one outlier), but overall a very good insight into how the iPhone still needs to get better and better if it is to be all things to all people.
If they want to get their device into highly secure organizations, Apple may have a huge challenge ahead of them because of one thing: for now, they depend on Microsoft for e-mail syncing.
What I don’t understand is why would an ultra-secure secure organization use a Microsoft product as their e-mail server? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Now, now. Play nice. LOL
We need to remember that Apple does not share the “I must control the world” mind set. They make great products and you can use them if you want.
Trying to sell to “stupid type” businesses is a dumb thing to do, unless you sell what everyone else sells and at the cheapest price. They the only thing you have to sell is upfront cost. Cheaper is always better if we are talking about the same thing. But if you have a choice of crap and great, well actually Sony found out that charging more actually helps instell the perception that the product is better. (70’s ish, American tvs were being sold cheaper and cheaper cause everyone wanted it cheap. But Sony developed the Trinatron and charged more. People bought like crazy. Not everyone, but many. )
Just a thought.
en
Apple Inc. does consumers very well.
Everyone in Enterprise, with the possible exception of some of the IT department, is a world class consumer.
If the iPhone is good enough, and we all feel it is, then it will be in Enterprise whether IT likes it or not.
“he’ll have no choice but to embrace the corporate stiffs”
How to write a story predicting what apple will do.
Step one – Read what apple has already stated it will do.
Step two – Write a story stating that Apple must do just that.
Wala! Apple does what you say it should do, your a genius!
Most people will never know any better.