With lofty goals for the iPhone this year, and the consumer electronics space slowing down, Steve Jobs and Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) are looking to business as the next market they want to penetrate with the iPhone. That of course offers very different challenges to Apple for business users, who view cell phones and their use differently than consumers do.
Jobs as set the bar high this year, saying his goal is to sell 10 million iPhones in 2008, something which will be difficult if business doesn't become part of his strategy.
The challenge for Apple is to make changes that corporate buyers have expressed concerns about, which keep them from embracing the iPhone at this time.
Some of the concerns mentioned have been SMS functions, the touch screen, software control and email compatibility.
To that end, Apple is aggressively working to give business what it wants. They are working with Microsoft to handle the email issue, along with bringing a calender and exchange contacts to the phone. They're also reaching out to other software developers who can bring the type of functionality needed by sales and other professionals.
Apple is also making available the ability for companies to embed their own software into the phone without having to go through The App Store, which will be used by Apple to distribute software to be used in the phone.
At a software event at Apple's Cupertino headquarters, Apple marketing head Phil Schiller began his presentation with a list of features for the iPhone that businesses demand in order to migrate to the device. According to Schiller, Apple plans on offering them all.
That's important because in the past, Jobs has very seldom listened to what potential customers had to say, rather he took the lead and showed them what they wanted; just like he did with the iPhone with consumers.
It's different this time because the business world operates and expects things differently than the consumer market does, and after years, Jobs has finally learned that lesson. That's a good sign for the iPhone going forward.
iFund
Another important news bit is the creation of the new iFund, which is made to back companies that build components, services and applications for the iPhone. It is funded in the beginning with $100 million.
"Developers are already bursting with ideas for the iPhone and iPod touch, and now they have the chance to turn those ideas into great companies with the help of world-class venture capitalists," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We can't wait to start working with Kleiner Perkins and the companies they fund through this new initiative."
Conclusion
If Jobs and Apple can deliver on their promises, and a slew of new software applications and interoperability are included, they could do it again, as far as penetrating a new market goes. Jobs new religion of cooperation makes this a real possiblity.
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