The InformationWeek -- Blogs
Over The Air

Topics:   Digital Life : Mobile

  • Email this page E-mail this page
  • Print this page Print this page
  • Bookmark and Share
  • icon

Will AT&T Market The iPhone To Business Users?


Posted by Stephen Wellman, Apr 25, 2007 09:46 AM

According to a new report, AT&T may try to market the iPhone to business users as well as consumers. Mobile and enterprise IT analysts, however, are not so cool with the idea.


The report is based on an anonymous source at AT&T, but the announcement is not a shock. Given the iPhone's innovative design and features -- as well as its $499 and $599 sticker prices -- business users and enterprise IT departments are a good target. And many insiders have suggested that AT&T and Apple might try to sell the iPhone to business users.

Mobile business analysts, however, recommend that business users avoid the iPhone, at least for now:

If AT&T announces that it will be marketing the phone to enterprise customers, "we'd be against it," said Ken Dulaney, an analyst with Gartner, who said he hasn't heard of such a plan from the operator. "We'd immediately tell our customers that'd be a very serious mistake."

No matter what kind of reputation a vendor has, if it's making its first phone, Dulaney would be unlikely to recommend it. "Building a phone is one of the most difficult things to do," he said.

Also, the iPhone is expected to have a number of shortcomings for business users, he said. For example, it doesn't have a removable battery. "You'd be crazy to buy without that," Dulaney said. The phone has multiple processors, which consumes more battery life than single processors, he said.

Dulaney isn't alone. Another analyst says that the iPhone's closed OS will make it difficult for most businesses to use the device effectively:

That's one reason that Avi Greengart, principal analyst for mobile devices at Current Analysis, also thinks the iPhone won't be a good option for enterprise customers. Apple has said that the iPhone will run on an OS X-based operating system and told Greengart that enterprises won't be able to write applications for the phone, he said. "Companies like to extend corporate apps to the mobile space and in order to do that you need an open OS," he said. Mobile operating system developers like Windows, Symbian and BlackBerry enable third parties to write applications based on their software.

What do you think? Will AT&T target the iPhone to business users as well as consumers? And if so, will any enterprise IT departments actually deploy the iPhone? Or will it remain an SMB device in the business market?

« S60 Summit Exhibitors Show Off Consumer Applications | Main | How Does RadioShack Stay In Business? »



Sign Up Now
For InformationWeek News Alerts




This is a public forum. United Business Media and its affiliates are not responsible for and do not control what is posted herein. United Business Media makes no warranties or guarantees concerning any advice dispensed by its staff members or readers.

Community standards in this comment area do not permit hate language, excessive profanity, or other patently offensive language. Please be aware that all information posted to this comment area becomes the property of United Business Media LLC and may be edited and republished in print or electronic format as outlined in United Business Media's Terms of Service.

Important Note: This comment area is NOT intended for commercial messages or solicitations of business.




 
Mobile Video


Sign Up For The Over The Air Newsletter
Every Friday, our experts and analysts explore the business, strategy, and management issues most important to mobile and wireless technology.

Sign up for our free, weekly newsletter today!

Newsletter Archives


 

  1. Sequential Programming: Like Eating Peas with a Straw.
  2. Biomolecular device using self-assembled DNA nanostructures?
  3. Coreinfo v2.0: A Simple Utility to Understand the Manycore Complexity in Windows


Join The InformationWeek Group On LinkedIn


                           


  1. More Reasons Why Linux Misses The Desktop
  2. Too Much Netbook For Too Litl?
  3. Verizon: $350 ETF Is A Go
  4. Motorola Explains Why Droid Doesn't Have Multi-Touch


  1. Review: Motorola Cliq Smartphone
  2. Florida Hospital Dials Up iPhones For Nurses
  3. Full Nelson: A Web Presence Needs Sizzle, My Nizzle
  4. Is Antivirus Software Dead?
  5. Practical Analysis: The Fastest-Growing Security Threat
  6. InformationWeek Analytics Research: Federated Search

 

  Ars Technica
Boing Boing
Channel 9 Forums
CRN Blogs
Dr.Dobb's Portal: Blogs
Engadget
Gizmodo
GrokLaw
  Lifehacker
Schneier on Security
Slashdot
TechCrunch
Techdirt
Techmeme
Valleywag

  DECEMBER 2008
NOVEMBER 2008
OCTOBER 2008
SEPTEMBER 2008
AUGUST 2008
JULY 2008
JUNE 2008
MAY 2008
  APRIL 2008
MARCH 2008
FEBRUARY 2008
JANUARY 2008
DECEMBER 2007
NOVEMBER 2007
OCTOBER 2007
SEPTEMBER 2007