Analyst warns businesses off iPhone 3G
Concerns around potential handset flaws and apps touted to bring business intelligence onto the platform lead analysts to advise caution.
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An American analyst has warned businesses to wait before adopting Apple's latest iPhone.
The 3G version of the popular smartphone was launched in the UK earlier this month.
But principal analyst and founder of Enderle Group, Rob Enderle said IT managers should not rush into allowing the iPhone 3G into their enterprises for a few weeks, until any potential flaws have been uncovered.
Apple tends to lead its launches on the hype surrounding products, he said.
And it "does such a good job controlling initial product reviews that problems associated with the 3G iPhone probably won't be known until after it launches, when the raft of independent reviews become available," added Enderle.
The warning comes only a week after UK analyst firm Ovum also questioned the iPhone's ability to handle business applications, like the business intelligence mobility features specifically released for the device by Oracle last week.
Madan Sheina, Ovum principal analyst, said the hype and cool' appeal of the will only get the iPhone so far in an enterprise IT environment.
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"It will take a lot more for the iPhone to appeal to the world of business computing, let alone BI, and drive adoption to levels reached by that of RIM or Windows Mobile in the enterprise segment," she said.
The iPhone has been able to capitalise on the growing coverage and capacity of mobile networks and the narrowing gap in functionality between laptops and handheld, PDA-type devices.
As a result "application software vendors will no doubt continue to see opportunities for phone/handheld computer convergence," added Sheina.
"In the meantime, BI is still a long way away from becoming part of the morning commute."
A 25-year veteran enterprise technology expert, Miya Knights applies her deep understanding of technology gained through her journalism career to both her role as a consultant and as director at Retail Technology Magazine, which she helped shape over the past 17 years. Miya was educated at Oxford University, earning a master’s degree in English.
Her role as a journalist has seen her write for many of the leading technology publishers in the UK such as ITPro, TechWeekEurope, CIO UK, Computer Weekly, and also a number of national newspapers including The Times, Independent, and Financial Times.
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