Mobile communication: the future of business

Many employees now spend more time using their phone to check email than they
do making calls. It’s hardly surprising as today’s smartphones offer a wealth of
features that can help business users do more while they’re on the move.
However, the current crop of smartphones use a bewildering array of operating
systems, with old stalwarts like Blackberry and Microsoft being joined by young
upstarts like iPhone, Android and WebOS. But, with many of these mobile
platforms primarily targeted at consumers, the question is how do they square up
when it comes to real business features?

Certainly in the near future Blackberry is likely to remain the number one
choice, thanks to its excellent push email system and strong support from
business software developers. However, Apple is likely to be a significant
player. It’s starting to make inroads in the business world with the consumer
appeal of the device helping to ease its path. Google, with Android, seems to be
concentrating on adding consumer friendly features rather than business
orientated ones and Microsoft has to hope that the next release of Windows Phone
finds favour with business users and helps stem the flood of defections to other
platforms.

Blackberry

Of all the mobile platforms there’s none more synonymous with the world of
business than Blackberry. Developed by Research In Motion (RIM), the Blackberry
platform won many fans early on as it was the first device to offer push email.
Instead of users having to regularly check for new emails, the Blackberry system
alerts the user as soon an email arrives.

The Blackberry user interface isn’t as slick or as straightforward as the
likes of the iPhone, but the operating system offers better business features,
including comprehensive support for file encryption and virtual private n
etworks (VPNs), as well as strong integration with corporate email and calendar
systems. Blackberry is also popular with IT departments because the devices are
easier to manage.

According to Ted Schadler, principal analyst at Forrester Research: “The
Blackberry Enterprise Server is the gold standard for mobile device control,
though its cost of $10 (£7) per user per month is daunting.”

Good support in terms of business and financial software means the Blackberry
platform is in widespread use in accountancy firms in the UK. For example,
account managers at chartered accountants Taylorcocks use Blackberry devices
running SalesLogix Mobile software to access its customer relationship
management system when they’re out in the field. Similarly, fee-earners at
accountancy firm Johnston Carmichael use their BlackBerry smartphones to relay
digital dictations and instructions on client deliverables to back office staff.

Windows Phone

Microsoft may be the king of the computer desktop, but it’s had mixed
fortunes with its Windows Phone operating system. Windows Phone was developed
primarily for business users, so it includes corporate features such as the
ability to work with VPNs, support for push email and integration with email and
calendar systems like Lotus Notes and Microsoft Exchange. However, the operating
system has been critically panned for its clunky user interface and sluggish
performance.

According to Pauline Trotter, principle analyst at Ovum, the Windows Mobile
platform is probably in third place in the market at present. But, Ovum’s
research shows that most companies expect to be supporting fewer Windows Phone
devices in the future, which doesn’t bode well for Microsoft. However, the
company is due to launch a new version of the operating system with a completely
redesigned interface later this year, which could reverse the slide.

Windows Phone devices come pre-installed with a mobile version of Microsoft
Office productivity suite and there are also many business applications
available, including apps for most of the large CRM systems on the market.

Android

Not content with dominating the worlds of internet search and online
advertising, Google has now turned its attention to mobile devices with its
Android operating system.

Like Microsoft with Windows Phone, Google doesn’t actually produce its own
phones, but instead makes the software freely available to handset manufacturers
such as Samsung, HTC, Sony and Motorola. Although not quite as polished as the
iPhone, Android’s user interface is fast and easy to use. However, its the least
mature of all the major mobile operating systems and business features such as
native support for Microsoft Exchange email has only arrived recently.

“You get mixed messages on Android,” says Ovum’s Trotter. “Mobile operators
think Android just isn’t mature enough yet and that there aren’t enough business
applications. They’re also worried about how they will support it because the
support model isn’t terribly enterprise orientated. And, if you ask companies
which devices they’ll support in the future the iPhone is definitely ahead of
Android, but it could be that it’ll move more quickly.”

Trotter also points to the fact that the operating systems currently lacks
many features that are seen as key for business, like support for VPNs and data
encryption. The range of business applications available on Android is also
rather limited and those that are available tend to be productivity
applications, such as the QuickOffice suite.

iPhone

Before the launch of the iPhone many doubted that Apple could replicate the
success of the iPod when it came to the mobile market, but the iPhone has proved
to be just as spectacular a triumph, with Gartner’s sales figures for the first
quarter of 2010 showing that it’s already grabbed more than 15% of the market.

The iPhone’s user interface is widely considered to be the jewel in its
crown, largely because it’s just so incredibly intuitive to use. And, while the
platform initially lacked enterprise friendly features, with subsequent releases
Apple has added support for Microsoft Exchange email, remote wipe, hardware
encryption and policy-based control. The upcoming release of version 4.0 of the
operating system is also expected to introduce better controls for device
management and the ability to distribute applications wirelessly to devices in
the field.

“Apple is definitely starting to gain some traction [in the business
market]”, says Trotter. “There’s a lot of pressure for it to be used in
enterprises, particularly at board level. I think IT managers are less
enthusiastic because it’s very difficult to manage, but you do see more and more
business applications for iPhone.”

Financial applications include FocalPoint from Access, along with apps for
SalesForce.com and FinancialForce.com. There are also a number of business
productivity suites available, including QuickOffice and DocsToGo.

Other contenders

By volume, Nokia is actually the number one smartphone supplier, with sales
twice those of RIM. However, the company’s Symbian operating system is found in
lots of devices that are likely to be used more for making calls than receiving
emails and using business apps. Nevertheless Nokia’s E series business devices
are undoubtedly popular, if not exactly lusted after, and the Nokia does offer
its own push email platform.

The other significant player in the smartphones market is Palm. Last year the
company launched its Palm Pre handset, which was based on its new WebOS
platform. The handset was well received by critics, but sales weren’t all that
impressive. Recently the company has been sold to HP, who is likely to market
Palm handsets more aggressively to business users in the future.

Glossary

Virtual Private Network: Software that allows you securely
connect to another computer or corporate server via the internet. Data is
encapsulated, creating a virtual and private ‘tunnel’ through the internet, via
which you can communicate without risk of your information being intercepted.

Remote Wipe: The ability to wipe vital details from your
mobile phone from a remote location. Very handy if your phone is lost or stolen
with sensitive corporate information on it.

Hardware encryption: More secure than software-based
encryption, this often requires the user to produce a physical key in order to
access the encrypted data. Meaning that, even if your phone is stolen, thieves
will not be able to access your data.

Policy-based control: Access for users to various data,
programs, or even bandwidth, can be allowed or restricted based on policies
defined by their employer.