<a href="https://twitter.com/darth/status/489149634883747840/photo/1">Image by @Darth</a>
Earlier today, Apple and IBM announced an expansive, long-term partnership to integrate Apple’s iOS devices into the Enterprise with big data software powered by IBM. The partnership will allow for IBM to sell iPads and iPhones to its Enterprise customers, and the duo are also working on jointly developed software for the enterprise. The companies are also developing an enhanced AppleCare protection service for enterprise iOS device users. Following both the official announcement and a video interview discussing the plans, Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent a memo to employees detailing the partnership:
Team,
Today, we announced a groundbreaking new partnership with IBM that will enable enterprises to put the power of big data analytics at their employees‘ fingertips on their iOS device. This exclusive global partnership brings together Apple‘s legendary ease-of-use and integrated hardware and software with IBM’s unmatched industry depth, enterprise software and expertise in big data analytics.
It also builds on the incredible momentum in Apple’s enterprise business. iPhone and iPad can be found in 98% of the Fortune 500. People love to use iOS devices and Apple delivers the things companies need most—security and scalable deployment along with a powerful platform for apps. With this announcement, we’re now putting IBM‘s renowned big data analytics at iOS users‘ fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple. This is a radical step for enterprise and something only Apple and IBM can deliver.
IBM is known for helping customers leverage big data and analytics to make their businesses run better. With over 100,000 consultants and sales professionals, they also have massive scale and global reach. IBM‘s sales and consulting teams will also be selling iPad, iPhone and AppleCare for Enterprise as part of the partnership.
This partnership brings together the best of both companies. It’s great news for Apple, IBM and for enterprise customers worldwide and I’m really excited to see it take off.
Tim
Cook does not share many new details not included in the press release, but he includes some statistics and background information behind IBM. Cook also ends his memo by saying that he is “really excited to see it take off.” Other Apple executives have also chimed in on the Apple and IBM deal with Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller praising the move via his official Twitter account:
https://twitter.com/pschiller/status/489151684216492032
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I love how Mr. Cook always addresses all of his employees to share his excitement about plans being put in place. It’s nice to see that level of camaraderie in such a large organization. This is definitely a big move. Looking forward to seeing how it impacts Apple and IBM in the long run.
This is the kind of stuff that Steve Jobs just couldn’t bring himself to do. Tim Cooks the man! This will put the final coffin in Blackberry and Windows/Phone/Surface. Well, the final, final nail since they were pretty DOA.
Well said. Looking forward to seeing how other companies react to this news.
Steve had a habit of contradicting himself over time. Wouldn’t surprise me to see this happen if Steve was still around.
So interesting that back in the Days of Apple 2 – IBM WAS the competition. And even though IBM/MSDOS/WIN beat out Apple IIgs and Mac, my Apple 2 was SO MUCH MORE FUN than a PC was.
The world really has come full-circle.
It would be even better if IBM and Apple announced that IBM was shifting 100% of the Windows desktops/laptops to OS X systems and make it a REAL partnership. Going half assed is only part of the way there. I think IBM knows they have to integrate iPads, etc. since they sell a lot of systems for restaurants, hotels and retail stores and the shift is going away from those big touch screen computeris to hand held devices so this totally makes sense. At least Tim Cook can actually work with the corporate world. I wonder if HP and Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft and others are pissed off right about now. :-)
IBM sold its PC (Desktop & Laptop) business long time ago to Lenovo, and lately even sold its small server business to Lenovo.
Maybe you should hire out your expertise since you seem to know it all.
You do realize IBM sold their consumer PC division to Lenovo years ago.
Nice pic. Have a look at this vintage shot: https://plus.google.com/+AndyHertzfeld/posts/g8dqNasKdni
Has anyone seen the irony in this photograph to the one that Steve Jobs took in front of IBM headquarters?
http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com/images/news2/Former-Apple-Staffer-Posts-Rare-Photo-of-Steve-Jobs-Flipping-Off-IBM-2.jpg
Upon closer inspection. The image with Tim Cook is a retouched version of the one with Steve Jobs giving IBM the bird.
Haha great Photoshop! Here the original: http://i.imgur.com/GfcRgJF.png
Not surprised. Tim spent 12 years at IBM.
I thought he spend those years at Compaq
Update: IBM it is. Well found.
(echoes the speech of Steve Jobs warning us of Big Blue) THEY WIN.
They win what? Enterprise?
I hope IBMs Watson technology gets intergrated with Siri. Then it would be a fair fight with Google Now.
Hadn’t though of that, but it would be nice. Watson is shaping up to be quite special.
You’re right; that could be huge, especially in the healthcare space. A Forbes article last year said (quite prophetically now) that Watson + Siri is much better than Watson vs. Siri.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertpearl/2013/10/31/the-david-and-goliath-of-health-care-apples-siri-vs-ibms-watson/
http://osxdaily.com/2011/12/30/young-steve-jobs-gives-ibm-the-finger/
Now I need to watch the “1984” commercial again.
I think this is just “step one” of two. Technologies which support iOS can be designed to support Mac OS X as well–something Apple is pushing itself. As I say on my blog (http://www.bill.eccles.net/bills_words/2014/07/apple-and-ibm-join-forces-to-t.html), I think this is Apple’s long-term solution to getting the “back of house” of enterprise, now that Xserve is dead and OS X Server is mostly dead.
If they work well together on this, maybe IBM can also help Apple finally achieve reliable, scalable, fluid cloud data solutions, one of Apple’s longest-standing weak spots going back to iDisk.
(Notwithstanding that Apple’s been able to stand up massive server facilities and deliver billions of tunes, video and apps….)
(….and not expecting that IBM the partner to help with their so far don’t-amount-to-much efforts at the “social web” [e.g., “Ping”] – if they still really want/need that. It’s not, e.g., like Google+ has made a dent either and MS is only social between gamers… …so dunno if it’s that high on their roadmap at the moment.
And IMO Apple can do fine even with Amazon selling all the toasters/posters/coasters and Mark Zuckerberg mediating the sharing of memes, selfies, snark and party planning.
Not that they don’t have to keep their eyes on both companies’ moves….)
They no longer compete about anything. IBM is very, very good at just what Apple is asking them to do. Apple will bring lots of customers in for IBM. And after all, Apple does suck at the cloud.