IBM holds on Lotus Notes for iPhone/iPod

IBM is still preparing the launch of a Lotus Notes web client for the iPhone and iPod touch, reports say. Some media outlets speculated that it might be released shortly, as a result of a recent demonstration; although the Associated Press wrote that an announcement would be made at this week's Lotusphere conference, IBM now claims that the client is "not something that [is] ready to go out and market or launch." Lotus Notes is a long-standing collaborative suite which integrates e-mail, calendars and other workgroup applications.

Release of the web client could prove especially advantageous to Apple, as Lotus Notes is widespread in the business world, and could thus increase adoption of the iPhone by corporate buyers. The device recently received a boost from carrier AT&T, which added it to its stable of enterprise plans. IBRS analyst Kevin McIsaac disagrees however, arguing that there are two separate audiences present. "I can't really imagine someone who's really hip and cool -- like an iPhone user -- wanting to use Lotus Notes," says McIsaac.

Filed under: iPod, iPhone, software, enterprise
Other story tags: IBM

, 2

2 comments

Reader Reactions (Please use <i></i> for italic text)

subscribe to comments
for this article

Expand All

Global Settings

derbbre

Hip and Cool?

01/22, 5:51pm, EST

As though everyone using an iPhone is "hip and cool"? I know *plenty* of people with iPhone who are neither hip nor cool. Analysts are idiots.

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined Oct 2000

User is offline

macboyrules

Doesn't Get It . . .

01/22, 6:21pm, EST

Many people in the business world WANT to use an iPhone, but corporate IT says "Sorry, it's not secure, and doesn't work with our email system." With the Lotus Notes native client, this blows away both those arguments. Of course, the real reason is that corporate IT doesn't understand the iPhone, and since it has the term "Apple" associated, they immediately assume that they might loose their jobs if Apple becomes a stronger player in the corporate IT space, so they come up with bogus reasons to block it, but that is another story . . .

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined Oct 2000

User is offline

Your Comments

Not a member of the MacNN forums? Register now for free.

Default Comment View
External Page Links
Comment Threading View