[Edward Kirk]

Businesses asked Apple to make changes to the iPhone and it's software, and they answered. Now, Gartner Inc. analyst Ken Dulaney has taken three weeks to test the iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 Software and review it for it's ability to deliver what large businesses are looking for in a handset, and published his results in a nine-page research note, titled: iPhone 2.0 Is Ready for the Enterprise, but Caveats Apply.

His verdict is partly apparent from the title: the device will be able to be supported by IT departments, but only for voice, email, web browsing and storage of personal information, due to security concerns. He says the new iPhone "does not deliver sufficient security for [running] custom applications" like what is implemented on other handsets currently accepted by enterprise users.

Despite Apple's implementation of password protection and a new and more secure remote-wipe feature, he says it still is not as secure as it could be. For instance, there is no way to encrypt data directly on the device, although Apple officials did ensure him that there is an API present in the firmware to provide encryption. His issue with this is that it makes it up to third-party vendors to write an application that will take advantage of said API.

Among other issues he found were the problems with high international roaming charges for data use (something that could be very restricting for many enterprise users), and poor battery life. He notes that the iPhone 3G's battery may not even last through a whole day's email usage.

Mr. Dulaney's note concludes: "Enterprises should approach expanded use of the iPhone slowly and with close examination."

[via ComputerWorld]

What is all this nonsense about 'the Enterprise'? Why isn't it just 'Enterprise'? Or dare I say it, just talk about business. Where has this strange businesswaffle phrase come from and how can we stop it spreading...!

It sounds like an attempt to inflate importance where there isn't a proper noun, inhabit a spiritually mythical plane, or request to be beamed up to an orbiting starship.

Guff, I'm off to make a cup of 'The Tea™'

OK so I'm a systems architect for a F500. Here is what is missing:

1) Lotus Notes support
2) 100% encryption of local data
3) IT Policies (ability to lock down features / apps / etc...)
4) Strong passwords / sync

That said -- my primary phone is an iphone.

[Stephen007]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

What is all this nonsense about 'the Enterprise'? Why isn't it just 'Enterprise'? Or dare I say it, just talk about business. Where has this strange businesswaffle phrase come from and how can we stop it spreading...!

It sounds like an attempt to inflate importance where there isn't a proper noun, inhabit a spiritually mythical plane, or request to be beamed up to an orbiting starship.

Guff, I'm off to make a cup of 'The Tea™'

I can't remember the distinctions... something like:
Small & medium business (SMB) are up to around 100 employees.
Enterprise is like 1000 employees IIRC. Of course someone else probably know the more exact definition.

In english, "enterprise" means they buy a LOT of crap! When you have 1000 employees you are buying at a pretty massive scale.