Apple targets enterprise channel with Cisco iOS partnership

Apple has shown its lofty enterprise ambitions once again by seeking to optimise iOS device performance across Cisco’s suite of enterprise communications services.

Having announced a partnership with IBM in 2014 to design and release a range of enterprise mobility applications across iPhone and iPad, titled IBM Mobile First for iOS, Apple has taken the step to partner with another of the world’s enterprise technology giants. First under Jobs and now Cook, it has never been a secret that Apple wants to dominate the enterprise technology segment, with some claiming the iPad to be the PC killer.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, it would appear Apple has taken a prudent route into the enterprise world by establishing partnerships with existing giants in the space, first with IBM and now with Cisco. The partnership will apparently see iOS devices optimised to deliver more integration and compatibility with Cisco’s communications services, such as WebEx, Telepresence and Spark. Tim Cook claims iOS already exists in nearly every major organisation’s mobile strategy, and that its presence is becoming essential for the future operation of business.

“iOS is the world’s best mobile platform and nearly every Fortune 500 and Global 500 company today has put iOS at the centre of their mobile strategy,” he said. “iPhone and iPad have become essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done. Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximise the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love.”

Meanwhile, various reports have claimed Apple is only a matter of months away from launching its long rumoured video on demand service, with original programming likely to be soon to follow.  The way in which the relationship between Apple and various consumer electronics players, of whom some will be considered fierce rivals, develops will be integral to the broad success of any television on-demand and original video content strategy from Apple. The success of video on demand streaming services has been largely dependent on the platform agnostic nature they adopt. Netflix, for instance, is available on all modern operating systems for smartphones, computers, laptops, tablets, games consoles, smart TVs and more. Allowing access to as wide an audience as possible will be something Apple needs to consider seriously in order to ensure any online video streaming service it launches has even a chance of competing with the industry’s existing incumbents.

Rumours are circulating over what Apple will serve up at its annual September showing off shindig in San Francisco; 9to5mac.com has claimed next week’s event will see a new iPhone 6 model launched, presumably the 6S and 6S Plus, as well as a new AppleTV designed with full Siri functionality, and the capacity to play video games with a converged AppleTV-come-game controller. There’s also talk of iOS 9 getting a showing, as well as rumoured augmented reality functionality after Apple apparently brought in some AR engineering specialists from Microsoft’s HoloLens project.