Kerio: small business first to embrace iPhone

Kerio says it has added wireless iPhone "push" compatability to its MailServer software, and the company says small businesses have been eager to embrace the iPhone 3G. In an interview with MacNN, Dusan Vitek, VP of Worldwide Marketing for Kerio Technologies, said he's seeing strong demand for iPhone support from typical customers in small to medium-sized companies.

Kerio's MailServer is billed as a less-expensive, lower maintenance alternative to Microsoft Exchange. Vitek says the upgraded iPhone support includes "push" e-mail, and "instant syncing" of contacts and calendar items. The software does not yet support push for HTML e-mail or e-mail attachments -- customers must use the product's IMAP e-mail for for those items.

Earlier versions of MailServer provided some iPhone support, but MailServer 6.5 allows wireless "push" syncing, Vitek said. There is also a "wipe" command that allows a user to remotely erase sensitive data if an iPhone is lost or stolen. MailServer works with Apple Mail, iCal, Address Book and Microsoft Entourage. Since the software supports other smartphones -- iPhone, Symbian OS, Palm and BlackBerry users can all connect to the same company server.

Vitek estimates that Mac customers generate about 25 percent of Kerio's revenues, so supporting the new iPhone 3G was an easy decision. Graphic design firms, car dealers, banks, Hollywood animators and even "Hooter's" restaurant owners are among the early iPhone adopters using MailServer, he said.

The MailServer iPhone update is free to existing Kerio MailServer customers. MailServer Licenses are available in a wide variety of configurations, starting at $500. MailServer 6.5 requires Mac OS X 10.3 or above, and works with Intel or Power PC Macs. The software is avalable in other formats, including Microsoft Windows and Linux.

Filed under: software, iPhone apps
Other story tags: servers, iPhone 3G, business, small business