As others have already said: 1. Apple isn't (initially at least) targeting business users. It's a consumer device like the iPod. 2. With the Web 2.0 stuff installed apps are (at least a little) less critical. Hmm, Google tools + Google/Apple friendliness, probably not a coincidence. 3. It would be horrible if the iPhone remains a closed platform (like the iPod. There would be hundreds of iPhone developers fighting to be a player in this new environment. I have to believe that Apple is only keeping it closed initially. The alternative is too dismal to contemplate.

The iPhone is a consumer device! Apple is a consumer company (mostly).

It's a fairly common (and transparent) Microsoft tactic to bash Apple by trying to convince their overwhelmingly business-centric clients that Apple's products are weak because they don't support Exchange Servers and Microsoft's (also proprietary) business applications.

Microsoft's general failure (Zune) and under-achievement (XBox) in the consumer space is attributable to this very monopoly-centric arrogance. The inablilty to recognize business and consumer technology as different things and then to compare them is disingenuous.

Don't try to use smoke and mirrors to try convice the general public of Apple's (or any other consumer device/software maker's) weakeness by comparing them to Microsoft business (Windows Mobile 6)software.

Compare Apples-to-Apples (Windows Moble 6-to-RIM/Blackberry) or Apples (iPod/iTunes)-to-Lemons (Zune/Marketplace).

As far as I know neither the Zune or XBox supports Exchange or Office- but that doesn't make them "useless."

I'd like to see the headline:

"Apple: Windows Mobile useless to consumers"

The iPhone is aimed at consumers.

Although busn apps would be nice and should be considered for future integration, let's not lose sight of the mobile phone's number one purpose... phone calls. It's been studied that over 75% of all mobile users make phone calls 90% of their phone usage. Meaning the vast majority of people are spending little to no time on their phone doing business tasks. And until they do, Apple has plenty of time to incorporate business apps such as Web-based Google Office or even an iWork for iPhone package...to h@ll w/ MS Office!!

/

Not counting the video iPod or Internet device features, Apple's iPhone solution for phones calls is pretty sweet. It's much more advanced than anything Microsoft has or is doing in Mobile 6. So the vast majority of people are going to like how iPhone *improves* the main use of a mobile device.

Keep focused on the big picture, Ballmer!

/

If anybody would know about useless things, it's someone from Microsoft.

Well, MS proved by spending 10 years to imitate Palm and selling rather feebly that they have no clue what businesses users want with a phone - they even got their email lunch handed to them by RIM. Of course, their mobile PDA's have to add software - ever built in app is feeble and worthless, of course, you have to spend another $300 adding useful apps but that's all MS understands. They didn't get the ipod either - it's just a portable hard drive - we'll get Dell to undercut them ... same thing here with the phone. We can't design a decent product ourselves but we're sure those other guys will fail. Yea, good business plan ...

This article is partly right. Until Apple comes out with an integrated messenging system for its OS X servers the iPhone will not be as useful for many businesses as the Blackberry is. This is an area where Apple has fallen woefully short. Blackberry servers are tightly integrated in Windows server platforms and have direct connections with Exchange and Lotus Notes.

I think Apple's strategy is to get the iPhone out there and sell as many as they can to build up the word of mouth on how good this phone platform really is (assuming it is). After that they will let inertia take over as smaller businesses adopt it. I doubt it will ever take hold among large corporations though.

MS has no good competition, so must rely on FUD to try and chip at Apple. First that moron Ballmer laughs at the iPhone's price and says it cannot possible sell. Now they say it cannot connect to business. Ridiculous!

-Allen Wicks

To fall woefully short, one first has to try something. Apple is NOT targeting business users! Especially not with iPhone. Once it begins targeting businesses, we'll talk about falling short (or succeeding).

you mean like leopard server's ichat server, open directory, jabber support, server side chat archival and encrypted chat session; ical dav server with support for active directory and outlook; or their new email server with open ldap, pop, imap and squirrel?

the pieces are all there, and i'd bet dollars to donuts at WWDC we'll see some sort of major announcement regarding leopard server and iphone.

http://www.apple.com/server/macosx/collaborationservices.html

You got it. As for the NEED for business apps, the already included Text Editor in OSX can open and save most word files. It isn't that difficult to get to XLS files or ppt files. They have these tools already. Those developers just moved over to help with the iPhone. In my opinion, if they deliver what they promised, they are going to deliver an exceptional product that still doesn't exist. If they deliver more, Apple will have the next iPod.

The iPhone has yet to have all of its specs published yet finalized. These people with the 'it won't do that; it can't do that' are talking out their A&&.

iPhone + Google Docs = happy businessmen.

Frankly, there is zero need to install apps on a device with true internet connectivity. Web Apps change everything.

Unless, of course, you put in there "no internet connection", then your businessman is just plain pissed. Nothing like flying for 6 hours with nothing to do because you can't get to your files or editing software on google's servers.

Oh, and perhaps you need to also remember that some people may not want to be connecting to the internet non-stop (how much will that cost, anyway?).

Did they ever say it was aimed at businessesm though? I agree with lpkmckenna, with widgets you can pretty much do all kind of web applications that tie into the internet, or intranet for consumers and (oh my gosh... businesses).

Um, who's developing these widgets to get them on your iPhone? Hope you don't need anything but standard fare, as you can't just make your own software.

And why is everyone wailing on and on how this is a consumer device and not being marketed for business? If that's the case, then who cares what MS says? And why then are people trying to explain how its not useless for businesses?

Microsoft said it, I believe it, and that settles it.

Why would Microsoft lie to me, especially about Apple?

if only iPhone's interface looked more like a typical Windows interface, it would be useful?

What a douche. Microsoft, like the Bush administration, thinks everyone it's talking to is stupid.

Apple sold 100 million iPods. Maybe 5 were bought by businesses. How many Zunes have they sold? MS doesn't have one stinking ounce of class.

Bahhh ha ha ha bahhh oh that brings tears to my eyes. I am sure Microsoft really meant to say:

But people all prefer Microsofts look and feel .. anything else just does not look and work and crash like microsoft and is just not worth looking at.

IDIOTS

" added that the iPhone's interfaced differences might also deter businesses, which he argued would prefer the familiar look of Windows Mobile 6"

> What a douche. Microsoft, like the Bush administration, thinks everyone it's talking to is stupid.

Hey don't knock the tactic, it worked well enough for Bush and for MS too, in fact you should try behaving like everyone is stupid, and see how far you get`1

When will Microsoft begin to understand that their FUD tactics no longer work. Microsoft FUD nearly across the board is a major turnoff to the public. No one takes MS that seriously anymore, because they do not appear to speak with any integrity.

"Sorenson added that the iPhone's interfaced differences might also deter businesses, which he argued would prefer the familiar look of Windows Mobile 6"

I've never heard anyone say the liked WM for anything, although one of my friends did sell his Palm Treo because he hated WM's interface.

Like Office is some kind of freakin' open source platform!

Isn't he shooting himself in the foot? What if MS decides to develop (and charge for) Office support for iPhone? He's just made his bosses' negotiation position with Apple a more difficult one.

Excellent observation from Microsoft. Just months after Steve Jobs explicitly said that the iPhone wasnt suitable for business needs, Microsoft makes the same point so disparagingly. Hmm.

Sorry, but a ton of apps doesnt make a phone business worthy. First, Apple can readily add office support through firms like DataViz (Docs to Go) even Apple has a capable Word viewer & editor in TextEdit. Im one of the few people that I know that really uses my PDA to create & edit docs or even move files from place to place using the device.

Still, I have to agree with Steve Jobs, its not designed to woo big business, which afterall, made the iPod such a hit. Rather, Apple has set its sights much lower by going after the lowly consumer market. Ever seen a consumer buy an iPod. Doubtful!

Cheers!

All "business" users are consumers, and they deserve to buy value.

In my business environment (mostly Win, some Macs though) I see people with their "smart" phones struggle and complain. It's so feature packed that it is hard to use. I tried to set up one myself for a colleague, and it came with two pages (!) written by IT. It still doesn't work. What a waste of resources: expensive phone, expensive software, expensive IT people, expensive-my-time, no real value in the end.

In the end, the iPhone is a phone, people will browse a little on it, listen to some tunes. It will be great to be able to use it to view some online docs.

Apple sells us the dream we've had about Google Mapping the nearest restaurant, but we'll mainly use it so say "Honey, I'm almost home".

There are many businesses (as a whole) and many individuals within businesses, that don't want or need the extra features of a smart phone/PDA/Blackberry. That means there is significant corporate sales for the iPhone, even in it's initial, limited configuration.

But then it also depends on what the businesses goals are, doesn't it? Apple's goal is to sell innovative hardware and make a lot of money. So there's at least one case where we can say:

"The iPhone is awesome for business: Apple's ;-)!

While Windows may rule the business world, Apple is enjoying a surge in use by consumers. Having an iPod with a phone and internet/email/camera/bluetooth/wifi in it that will interface direct with the Mac (and PC) that is fun and easy to use will be a big hit with consumers. Businesses will follow. There are more consumers than business users, so let Apple provide a Blackberry for the rest of us.

Microsoft: useless for business