Apple-IBM partnership to target corporate market

Companies say they hope to 'transform enterprise mobility through a new class of business apps'

IBM will sell iPhones and iPads with industry-specific applications to business clients worldwide

Apple and IBM announced a groundbreaking partnership late on Tuesday that will combine their strengths to target the corporate market and bring IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities to the iPhone and the iPad.

The companies said they hope to “transform enterprise mobility through a new class of business apps” via developments that include apps for the iPhone and the iPad, and IBM cloud services for Apple’s iOS mobile operating system.

IBM will sell iPhones and iPads with industry-specific applications to business clients worldwide.

“This deal is a very targeted attempt by Apple with the help from IBM to focus on the enterprise, corporate market which has really been the main business of Blackberry,” said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer at Solaris Group.

Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said the partnership will put IBM’s renowned big data analytics at iOS users’ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple.

“This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver,” said Cook. “iPhone and iPad are the best mobile devices in the world and have transformed the way people work with over 98 per cent of the Fortune 500 and over 92 per cent of the Global 500 using iOS devices in their business today.”

Ginni Rometty, IBM chief executive, said mobility, combined with data and the cloud, was transforming business in historic ways, “allowing people to re-imagine work, industries and professions.”

“This alliance with Apple will build on our momentum in bringing these innovations to our clients globally, and leverages IBM’s leadership in analytics, cloud, software and services,” said Rometty.

“We are delighted to be teaming with Apple, whose innovations have transformed our lives in ways we take for granted, but can’t imagine living without. Our alliance will bring the same kind of transformation to the way people work, industries operate and companies perform.”