IBM: Smartphones and tablets to be primary enterprise devices, has no plans to support Windows Phone 7

February 4, 2011 | By Surur

ibm_logo IBM is making some dubious bets at the moment.

The first is the claim by the company that tablets and smartphones will become the primary device for enterprise users within three to five years. Given that enterprise is all about productivity, and smartphones and tablets, especially at present, are not, one does have to wonder what IBM is thinking.

To pursue this goal the company is creating software for a number of smartphone platforms, including Apple, Android, BlackBerry and Symbian devices, but has no plans to create software for Windows phone 7.

"We are constantly evaluating Windows Phone 7 to see if there is enterprise interest before investing. So far there is inquiry level interest, but there is no demand in the enterprise for it," said Ed Brill, director of product management for LotusLive, Notes and Domino at IBM.

Proving how out of touch with reality the company is, he continued:

"MeeGo, on the other hand, looks interesting, although I don’t know how much work we’re gong to have to put into it. Nokia seems to be more interested in MeeGo as a consumer operating system."

About Surur

Site Admin and Windows Phone enthusiast, he has been using Windows Mobile devices since before they were called PocketPC’s. He is currently sporting a HTC 7 Trophy.

Tagged enterprise, ibm, windows phone 7

interframe

I dont think IBM is out of touch with reality, I think they understand very well what MS is trying to do with WP7 for maybe its first year, which is to cater to consumers first, business users second.

IBM predicts that in the next 3-5 years smartphones/tablets will be used primarily by businesses, and that is likely. And its also likely that MS, with Windows 8/Windows Phone 7.x, will be front and center of all of this at that point in time.

Travis

I would say they're out of touch if they're more interested in an unreleased still laggy/buggy copy of Android that is Meegoo. It would be wiser to look at WP7 from a enterprise level due to the company backing being MSFT which is all about enterprise.

The tablet comment is completely believe able. If low-powered CPUs keep getting stronger whilst increasing battery life I see now reason why we don't load office on them

Brian

Meego is interesting because, at least until something else is announce, it is the future for Nokia and Nokia is a much bigger player than all of WP7 put together. The thing you have to remember is that IBM is a smart company driven but market realities – not by fanboiy dreams.

OOOOijojo

"at MS is trying to do with WP7 for maybe its first year, which is to cater to consumers first, business users second. "

how is android having enterprise demand? for one, its shitty and fragmented, meaning support for it would be chaotic at the enterprise level…

next, it doesnt even have encrpytion of any kind, making it a security nightmare….

why would they even think about supporting android and symbian? i think theres a couple fanboys at IBM exec managment
raidenn

Meego? Are you kidding me?
Ram

Very few enterprises are adopting iPhone and almost none are with Android. It clearly shows IBM bias against Microsoft and Apple. I wonder why IBM is still around. They are totally clueless when they said they are interested in MeeGo.

OOOOijojo

ibm failed at technology, they diversified and are still alive because of their services division… they are a literally a consulting company now… meaning their business is now consisting of talking to other companies about how to be better. lmao
Brian

Actually iPhone adoption in the enterprise is very high, and IBM continues to report record earnings and growth.

syrinx

I just wonder how productive people can be without a full sized keyboard and two displays. Whatever, IBM.
zzz

It's obvious the guy had an agenda to push. Meego? lol
http://twitter.com/EJ1024 @EJ1024

Whatever IBM, you all full of shit, I BM MAKES SENSE TO ME NOW
http://www.winetag.com.br bnlf

i think businesses are out of options atm. neither android, iphone or wp7 are good for business they are very immature. everyone is focusing on games and entertainment.
prolly everyone is missing all windows mobile features
omz9

In my opinion IBM and MS are competitors in some of the big money departments in the IT divisions. For example, and don't quote me on this, they compete on servers, trunks, services, and soon cloud services, research, and so on…So for IBM to admit the importance of tablets for productivity means that momentum is definitely shifting from PC's and laptops and for them to help out MS to support the "end user" experience of those departments would be counter productive. However, its nothing I am sure that MS can't already do by itself.
http://twitter.com/chmun77 @chmun77

Is logical that IBM is not interested in WP7 yet, because comparing the maturity of the OS, iOS / Android is much better than WP7 as of now. Unless MS pull up its socks with the updates to be on par with it rival OSes.

But as for Meego…. Hmm…. That really puzzled me.
Paul

IBM has every interest in weakening MS's standing in the enterprise, so some of this is just normal competitive rhetoric. But they could be right. Gates himself predicted that tablets would be the most popular form factor within 5 years. He was too optimistic as it turns out, but now that they have momentum you never know. It's another reason MS can't afford to wait for W8 and 2013 to have a decent tablet story. But that’s what they appear to be doing.
GP007

Meego, why am I not surprised, no way IBM wants to get into bed with MS again since the whole Windows vs OS/2 bit. Either way, Meego isn't going anywhere, and it's a joke, if business start letting more and more people buy and use theor own home smartphones into the workplace then WP7 will just naturally find it's way in, and then by extention windows based tablets in the future.
http://www.microsoft.com byron

Every company i've worked for has reversed their smartphone plans because of cost cutting, security and well, did i say security requirements? Most fortune 500 companies are ridding their networks and offices of smartphones because cameras, SMS, email, messaging, apps and all that stuff that bypasses corporate controls is well, not good for the company IP & security