Is the Apple-IBM partnership taking the wind out of Microsoft sail?
Apple’s Tim Cook and IBM’s Virginia Rometty were interviewed yesterday by CNBC, in the wake of the recent partnership between the two companies. The massive, almost historic deal is set to bring IBM and Apple together on the front of enterprise applications, to “deliver the mobile promise in a big way”.
Business applications have been a focus of Apple’s attention for some time, as it was bound to happen, even before Apple showed any interest in making a move towards the enterprise sector. Companies across the planet began adopting Apple products, including airlines such as Gulf Air. In a move that prompted the Kingdom of Bahrain to purchase 355 iPads, last month, to replace Gulf Air’s existing flight bags.
IBM is reportedly committed to developing over 100 enterprise-class applications, exclusive to iOS, as well as providing Apple with analytics, device management and mobile integration. The apps will then be sold by IBM’s to its own business clients across the world.
News of the partnership are being perceived with mixed feelings by analysts, as competitors, such as Blackberry and Microsoft, might find themselves struggling to penetrate an enterprise market that is bound to become increasingly more saturated with iOS, than ever before, now powered by IBM existing business infrastructure.
Microsoft, the late bloomer of the mobile market, is already in the midst of restructuring its business model and move away from selling software. The deal is likely to affect Microsoft in the early stages of its conversion to mobile. The effects of this extra pressure are difficult to predict, as the software giant is experiencing a 15% boost in its stock value since Satya Nadella took over the company on February 4th of this year. The company has released an iOS version of its Office software app, which begs the question on whether IBM-powered iOS apps will steer away existing business customers from Microsoft apps, to a potential Apple-IBM apps ecosystem.