Apple and IBM Forge Global Partnership to Transform Enterprise Mobility | Hacker News Reader

Apple and IBM Forge Global Partnership to Transform Enterprise Mobility

apple.com

40 pointsdkasper21 comments

Is this saying that IBM can preload their enterprise software onto the iDevices without having to go through the Apple Store? Or perhaps there'll be a private-labeled store?

And does this mean that Apple won't be taking their usual 30% of the entire sale, if the app significantly extends the functionality of IBM's software? Because 30% of the typical enterprise sale is a lot of money, and I can't see Ginni letting go of that much on their way to $20 EPS.

IBM will probably be using the standard iOS MDM APIs. https://www.apple.com/ipad/business/it/management.html

AFAIK MDM allows a company to create an internal app store that does not pay the 30% tax, although there may be some weaseling about how the mobile app is actually free but the server it talks to costs money.

I find this very interesting after many years of Apple not pushing the enterprise particularly hard, but the question that pops into my head is how many large companies are still using IBM technology? Do companies still use their software or has everyone moved on?

IBM Software Group made $8.1 billion USD in Q4 2013, so they're still pretty damn huge.

I'm sure there are plenty of companies happily using Lotus Notes, however horrendous that sounds. What's the alternative, Exchange?

(I would use Google Apps, but I might also be biased as to how good of an idea that is ;)

The irony is that Exchange is a lot better than Lotus Notes.

Yes but that is only because Lotus Notes is an absolute pile of crap. Exchange in itself isn't that good either.

Lotus Notes is the devil. Jesus Christ, I hate it. They need to kill Lotus Notes, really the only valuable thing from it I feel is Sametime, but that can stand by itself.

> What's the alternative, Exchange?

MongoDB + Rails. Lotus Notes (in addition to being a flawed mail system that I wish on no one) has a ton more engineer-years sunk into it than many of the NoSQL databases + web frameworks ever will.

(Disclaimer, IBM employee)

Sure there are many companies using Lotus Notes, but there is way more enterprise IBM tech & software out there (in use at large companies) than you realize ... WebSphere Portal, IBM Cloud, Rational, Tivoli, DB2, Cognos, Tealeaf, Watson, etc etc

Those programs are going to do gangbusters on iOS - I can feel it!

Why do you think for a second that any of that stuff should, would or can go on an iPhone. At least Lotus Notes is a client.

By writing a snarky response, you have missed the chance to learn something from someone (the grandparent commenter) who seems to be better-informed than you on this topic.

The press release pretty clearly positions Apple devices as front-ends for IBM's big data and cloud offerings.

E.g., compute some "big data analytic" on the IBM server and view it in a dashboard on a mobile Apple device; or interact with client records or job tickets stored in IBM's cloud.

I can totally see XKEYSCORE being run remotely off an iPad. The sort of places that run IBM stuff will run away screaming from running "big data analytics" from, nevermind viewing results on, an iOS device.

Trust me I've learned all there is to learn about IBM software - while working there.

On the contrary, there are plenty of applications for these, and other IBM enterprise software, with Apple/iOS.

http://www.ibm.com/mobilefirst/us/en/

Name one of the applications.

Hell have truly frozen over. I remember when I started writing for MacOS in 1985 IBM was the enemy. Makes sense for Apple today since they are much much bigger than IBM and have nothing to lose. IBM needs all the help it can get.

What are you talking about - IBM and Apple working together is old news. There was Taligent in the early 90s. There was the AIM PPC alliance which lasted from the early 90s to 2005. These companies are old friends who haven't been true enemies since the 1980s.

Interview with both CEOs.

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=3000292886

It's worth noting the word Mac doesn't appear anywhere in the press release except for in Apple's standard footer.

This must be a big hit for Roambi.

Its good see PR is still written in english.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com