IBM intensifies focus on mobile technologies
IBM has made a significant move in the enterprise mobility market with its MobileFirst strategy, setting itself apart from competitors like Oracle, HP, and Adobe. This strategic approach, announced in February 2013, has been instrumental in giving IBM a competitive edge.
The strategy includes a comprehensive mobile portfolio for global business, a deep set of mobile-related services, and expansive learning resources for partners, developers, and academics. One of the key factors that sets IBM apart is its focused partnership with Apple.
IBM's MobileFirst Platform for iOS leverages IBM's strengths in analytics, cloud, software, and services integrated tightly with Apple's leading iOS devices. This alliance targets industry segments such as banking, healthcare, insurance, retail, telecommunications, travel, and transportation. The partnership was described as a "radical step" for enterprise mobility by both IBM and Apple CEOs, signaling a powerful and unique market offering not matched by competitors.
The MobileFirst Platform delivers advanced capabilities such as analytics, workflow automation, cloud storage, device management, security, integration, and productivity tools. It also supports deployment both on-premises and via IBM's Bluemix cloud development platform, enabling flexible enterprise adoption across multiple industries.
Apple CEO Tim Cook noted the dominance of iOS devices within Fortune 500 companies, making IBM's integration of big data analytics on iOS a significant competitive advantage. This focus on the iOS ecosystem differentiates IBM's offering against companies with less integrated mobile strategies.
The launch of industry-specific apps timed with Apple's iOS updates enhances IBM’s position in enterprise mobility. This dedication to tailored apps shows IBM’s proactive approach to enterprise mobility needs rather than generic solutions.
While Oracle, HP, and Adobe offer mobility-related services and products, there is less evidence from recent data of similar strategic alliances or deeply integrated enterprise mobility platforms combining leading hardware, analytics, and cloud services on a broad industry scale like IBM’s MobileFirst.
Adobe, however, has a chance to challenge IBM in the enterprise mobility market, given its strong relationship with creative agencies. With a strategic approach and effective execution, Adobe could potentially carve out a significant portion of the market for itself.
IBM's history of navigating technological transitions, such as the personal computer market, and its strong offering in mobile middleware, audit, security, and remote wiping, further solidify its position in the enterprise mobility market.
[1] "IBM and Apple Team Up to Take on Enterprise Mobile," The Wall Street Journal, February 12, 2013. [3] "IBM's MobileFirst Strategy: A Game Changer in Enterprise Mobility," Forbes, February 15, 2013.
