IBM and Apple are looking to make the workplace smarter after striking a deal to deliver mobile business apps to iOS users.
The tech giants unveiled 10 made-for-business apps, called IBM MobileFirst for iOS, as part of a portfolio that will eventually include more than 100.
The initial apps, delivered as a cloud service, should help companies focus on specific tasks in a handful of industries, including airlines, banking, retail and communications.
The Plan Flight app, for example, enables airline workers to report issues and check flight schedules, flight plans and crew manifests ahead of time, while Incident Aware provides law enforcement offices with real-time access to maps and video-feeds of incidents.
Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior VP of Worldwide Marketing, said: "This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organisations will put iOS devices to work."
"The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done."
The apps can be customised for any organisation and easily deployed, managed and upgraded via cloud services, the firms said.
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Bridget van Kralingen, SVP of IBM Global Business Services, added: "What we’re delivering aims directly at the new quest of business — smart technologies that unlock new value at the intersection of big data and individual engagement."
"Our collaboration combines IBM’s industry expertise and unmatched position in enterprise computing, with Apple’s legendary user experience and excellence in product design to lift the performance of a new generation of business professionals."
