iPhone is not ready for Enterprise use

According to analysts from Burton Group, iPhone is not ready for the enterprise because it lacks encryption, robust central management capabilities and the ability to integrate with localized infrastructure.

In an online panel discussion analysts decided that device is ok for reading emails, browsing the Web and accessing AJAX enabled apps, however cheaper devices mimicking iPhone capabilities might win in the enterprise market someday in the future.

“The iPhone is unquestionably cool, but the Mac has always been cool,” said Jamie Lewis, CEO of the Burton Group. “It’s clear that the lines between work and life and the devices you use in the different roles that you have will continue to blur.”

Most important reason for it not being a suitable Enterprise platform is the lack of security. After its release many security researches tried to crack the iPhone, and unfortunately some succeeded. There were several flaws discovered in Safari browser. Also in July, team of security experts found a way to take complete control of the device.

Another weak point is that iPhone uses iTunes for management, which takes away the ability from IT professionals to manage and update as it’s suitable for Enterprise.

“There’s no way to force a patch or configuration change from a central place,” said Diana Kelley, vice president and service director at the Burton Group.

Lack of centralized control makes it an unlikely choice for security-conscious enterprises, such as organizations in the government, healthcare, and financial markets.

“There are a lot of issues with data leakage and organizations are saying ‘we don’t want files being carried on a small device that we can’t control”

However on a positive side since the device lacks the ability to store downloaded data, it doesn’t need the encryption, since now one can use Ajax-based web-apps to view your data on a centralized server.

“Any Ajax application that an enterprise chooses to develop is going to be able to present rich information density and interactions dialogue with the user,” said Bob Blakley, a principal analyst at the Burton Group.

Still, Burton Group senior analyst, Richard Monson-Haefel, an iPhone user, said he is hesitant to recommend use of the iPhone by most enterprises. The need to store resident applications is important in some job roles, he said, including field technicians and service professionals. Even with a fast Internet connection, downloading schematics and other large amounts of data could be burdensome, he said.

“Technicians working in the field may need a massive amount of data … and can’t afford to spend time downloading without a fast pipeline,” he said. “I would love it if our organization ran the iPhone for a standard device but there are just enough missing pieces that it doesn’t make sense for us at this point.”

Thanks: CompuWeekly

Tags: app, application, apps, iPhone, Mac, OS

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1. Apple iPhone Not Ready For Corporate World
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3. Gartner sees iPhone fit for Enterprise use

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