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Analysts: iPhone's future in enterprise a mystery

updated 08:55 pm EDT, Mon March 17, 2008

Analysts torn on iPhone

With Apple's recent introduction of the iPhone/iPod touch SDK, some analysts are torn on the device's corporate future, despite support for Microsoft's ActiveSync protocol. According to MarketWatch, the latest changes to the iPhone platform could make it more competitive with the RIMM BlackBerry platform, but analyst Toni Sacconaghi said the introductions may do little to change the iPhone's overall position in the smartphone market.

Andy Hargreaves of Pacific Crest Securities takes an opposing stance, saying that the iPhone should attract new developers and " will likely be the first Apple device for millions of corporate users, and positive impressions could drive stronger demand for Macs over time." Hargreaves believes that the SDK and ActiveSync support will help drive over 5 million handset sales to corporate customers.

While Sacconaghi thinks the existing barriers regarding BlackBerry devices functioning on an Exchange server will still be present, Hargreaves says that the iPhone could create a halo effect in the corporate industry, similar to that of the iPod and the home market.

Hargreaves estimates that Apple holds less than 2-percent of the worldwide PC market, and submits that the Mac platform could see "meaningful growth" throughout the 2008 fiscal year. Each 1-percent gain would entitle Apple to 25¢ per share, according to Hargreaves.

 
Previous Comments

Sacconaghi: some good/not

03/18, 02:49am reply

The 'halo effect' theory may actually play well here, especially if apple is smart enough to keep flash off the iPhone (shows how stable the OS/Apple experience is). The number of RIMM, etc. switchers prolly won't prove very high to start, though.

However, his "may do little to change smartphone market..." comment? Hello? Anyone home? The iPhone's emergence was enough to inject thousands of new users into the smartphone market. All of those savvy consumers who wanted to carry around just one device for their media and wireless connectivity bought into the iPhone. These are the folks that previously would have had a general cell phone and iPod.

The iPhone has ALREADY reshaped the size and nature of the smartphone market, and it's been out for less than a year and still hasn't gone through the first major (and important) revision. If you thought business users were whiny about push email, wait until consumers get used to it. *shudders*

danviento

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Joined: Dec 2005

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Re: some good/not

03/18, 07:21am reply

The 'halo effect' theory may actually play well here, especially if apple is smart enough to keep flash off the iPhone (shows how stable the OS/Apple experience is). The number of RIMM, etc. switchers prolly won't prove very high to start, though.

Sorry, but keeping Flash off the iPhone doesn't show how stable the platform is (not sure what the h*** "stable the experience is" means). Everyone says that Flash is useless for so much can be done with AJAX, which means you can clutter up the interface just as well as you can with Flash.

testudo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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re: some good/not

03/18, 08:32am reply

[i]Sorry, but keeping Flash off the iPhone doesn't show how stable the platform is[/i]

It most certainly does!! it shows how stable the platform can be... without flash! :)

eldarkus

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Joined: Feb 2004

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on flash

03/18, 08:38am reply

i think that dan was trying to say that Apple is controlling the development of apps on the iphone. we have those apps that run within safari and those that will be based on cocoa.

i guess there is some fear that flash as a dev platform could introduce instablility and loosen apple's control of the device. though, i've no idea on how legitimate that concern is.

imo, the iphone's initial impact will be on the small business and home business users. some larger companies will follow suit as their business requirements are met.

microsoft stands to make a killing off office for macos x lite. the question being, will they bring it to the platform or leverage it as a differentiator for Win Mobile?

Rezzz

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Joined: Jan 2006

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flash

03/18, 11:56am reply

Flash is a CPU and memory pig - there's good reason to keep it off the iPhone that has nothing to do with fouling up the interface with AJAX.

Bad UI takes care of itself. CPU and memory utilization needs to be addressed by Adobe.

hayesk

Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

0

Re: some good/not

03/18, 12:42pm reply

But if all it takes is Flash to make a platform unstable, it basically means there's something unstable about the platform as a whole. No one piece of software should break a system.

testudo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

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survey questions

03/18, 02:22pm reply

1. What Flash content are you currently consuming?

2. Of the above what is absolutely critical to you (can't live without)?

Kainzow

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Joined: May 2007

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