The iPhone is the Business World – A Big Maybe; Especially in a Recession

Implications: If iPhone had not decided to support the Microsoft Exchange platform, I would say that the iPhone would have been very big with the creative community.

Analysis: I like the form and fit of the iPhone.  I am just an objector of vendor fawning without basis.

The iPhone has forced all of the vendors to enhance their handsets.  Apple’s “out there” approach to computing has definitely had a positive impact on the handset community.  You can read all of my past objections in past GLG analyses.

The reality is that it will take nearly a year before Apple can market and ramp up enough to present itself as a challenger to RIM’s Blackberry.  As it stands there are many smartphones entering the market now.

The level of competition that Apple would be facing in a year would be enormous.  Let us assume that Apple really plans on having the phone ready by summer.  Well summer is the worse time to convince businesses to buy anything since nearly every key person in the decision making chain in a corporation is on vacation.

Summer vacation may not sound like a big deal but by summer the upcoming budget for most corporations is usually already locked up and you cannot find any of the key people in their offices.  A way to short circuit the marketing process: My suggestion to Apple; dump beta handsets into the hands of all IT leaders in American corporations before summer vacations start.  IT leaders get lots of freebees now as a way of justifying testing and a way of convincing a corporation to buy new equipment.  I forgot how many of the IT leaders I know all get free equipment to just try it out – made me want to run an IT organization all over again.

Apple’s decision to support Microsoft Exchange is critical to Apple’s success in business in both the United States and around the world.  A couple of months ago I was saying IBM was out of its mind.  The recent news about the Microsoft support is good.  I hope IBM had something to do with convincing Apple to support Microsoft.

Apple may be late getting to the party but it is a master of marketing.  The company has a built in fan base.

The reason why the technology of Apple seems more exciting than other manufacturers has everything to do with Apple’s ability to cater to the artistic and creative community.  The actually technology itself in the iPhone is owned by others and yet the company’s product looks sexier than other manufacturers.  Why?  The answer is packaging and marketing.

Apple may stand a chance against RIM.  However, Apple needs to understand that with all the industry chatter about RIM facing mounting competition, RIM has been working to enhance its device as well.  By the way RIM has a long history with corporate America.  Long lasting relationships are tough to break.

Another bit of advice to Apple:  Make a 3G phone.