| As much discussed, there are IT issues with iPhone | | | | management, anti-malware, and device management |
| and Android deployments in the Enterprise. We're | | | | services targeted at Android. |
| comparing these two phones because unlike | | | | Devices and Variety of Features |
| Blackberry devices, the iPhone and Android are | | | | On the device side, to date there are a limited |
| consumer devices first. Blackberry has always | | | | number of iPhone devices, which physically are almost |
| courted the enterprise and today offers their | | | | identical. This makes support a little more |
| Blackberry Enterprise Server for managing Blackberry | | | | straightforward, whereas Android, because of its |
| devices in the Enterprise while iPhone and Android | | | | good economics for device manufacturers (i.e. |
| have entered the Enterprise, at least initially, through | | | | "free"), comes in a rapidly widening variety. You can |
| the backdoor as individual consumers brought in their | | | | get them with keyboard, keyboard-less, different |
| personal devices to connect to corporate resources. | | | | screen sizes, feature sets, etc. This can be a |
| So, if you are IT and you're being asked to make | | | | challenge to support. |
| recommendations on which devices your users should | | | | Networks and Carriers |
| use, you also need to figure out how to support | | | | Related to the variety of devices, Android is |
| them. Should you recommend iPhone? Android? And | | | | available, or soon will be on all major carriers. iPhone |
| how to manage them once you have them? | | | | users must use AT&T, at least for now. For the |
| Operating Systems and Software Distribution | | | | multi-campus enterprise, a single provider may just |
| Let's start by comparing the two operating systems | | | | not work for all potential users. And then, what |
| and the software distribution systems. iPhone OS is a | | | | happens when your user travels to another country? |
| closed system, but has a robust SDK, thousands of | | | | What Next? |
| applications, and only two ways to get applications on | | | | Blackberry has several OS5 devices out, Nokia is |
| the device: Through the iTunes App Store or through | | | | coming out with more Maemo/MeeGo devices, and |
| a distribution provisioning profile that allows signed | | | | Microsoft has previewed its Windows Mobile7 that will |
| applications to be installed on a device. Each | | | | be out later this year. Recently, reports have come |
| application has to be installed at the endpoint | | | | out showing that the velocity of Android entering the |
| individually; there is no way to push applications to | | | | marketplace exceeds the initial surge of the iPhone. |
| devices. However because every app is subject to | | | | (Android outsold the iPhone in the first 74 days, or |
| Apple's approval process or your signed certificate, | | | | the time for the iPhone to hit the 1 million mark). |
| the iPhone has remained malware free. | | | | Android is clearly making in-roads into the enterprise |
| Android is on the other hand is an open source OS, | | | | (for recent data, look at the " Mobile Worker Report |
| but with an equally strong SDK, and a growing list of | | | | "). Third parties, such as iPass, are planning to support |
| developers and available applications that are easy to | | | | Android. Apple is not about to willing cede any |
| get on the device. There are multiple ways to get | | | | marketshare, so we anticipate new devices and new |
| applications on the device, signed and unsigned, and | | | | versions of their OS this year. |
| as a result there have been reports of malware | | | | This is going to be a tremendous year for mobile |
| targeting Android devices. This has opened a market | | | | devices, which means a busy year in corporate IT. |
| opportunity for 3rd parties to provide software | | | | |