Deutsche Bank very positive on iPhone trial, 'no going back' to BlackBerry
After a two month iPhone trial using Good Technology's secure email app, Deutsche Bank Equity Research reports an "overwhelmingly positive" experience that left it waving goodbye to RIM's BlackBerry.
A report by the firm's research analyst Chris Whitmore noted the company is using Good Technologies' third party iOS app in conjunction with Microsoft Exchange Server to deliver enterprise email and calendar data to mobile users with AES 192 encryption.
This separates corporate data from any private email and calendar accounts a user sets up independently on their iPhone. The process of setting up Good's software on the user side was reported to take 10 to 15 minutes.
Good itself recently profiled Apple's iPhone as being the center of attention among enterprise users, with over half of its new device activations worldwide involving an iPhone or iPad, outnumbering Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian put together (Good does not work with BlackBerry devices).
Pros outweigh cons of ditching BlackBerry
"We found enterprise email on iPhone was a fantastic experience as it was easier/faster to access data (touch UI) than on the Blackberry," the report stated. "It was also great to only have to carry one device for personal and corporate email access."
Currently a BlackBerry shop, Deutsche Bank noted two "minor" disadvantages to the iPhone/Good combination being tested against RIM's BlackBerry/BlackBerry Enterprise Server package.
The first was that Good's app sends push notifications of new messages, but does not download emails in the background, requiring the user to open the app to get new messages (BES pushes email "as it arrives or in small batches" the report said.)
"The other under-appreciated feature on the Blackberry," the report stated, "was the blinking red light to signal new email. The iPhone has no equivalent which was a point of frustration as it required logging into the app frequently when awaiting a specific email."
Other differences were described as personal preferences. "We had mixed views regarding typing on the iPhone," the report said. "The Blackberry-faithful among us prefer the familiarity of a physical keyboard. Others preferred the iPhone when rotated into landscape mode, as it allowed for faster typing with few errors.
"In aggregate, we found the iPhone UI was very usable and the touch-less vs. physical keyboard debate is a function of personal preference and perhaps ?fatness of fingers?. Versus the Blackberry trackball, the iPhone interface is vastly superior is terms of speed and accessibility and prioritizing key emails and we view the Blackberry trackball as archaic and cumbersome."
Whitmore added, "after testing corporate email on iPhone for the past few months, there is no going back. We expect a lot of users will feel the same way when iPhones are offered at their workplaces."
The report specifically noted "the ability to carry a single device with a great UI and have access to multiple apps (like Bloomberg, for example) far outweighed these issues."
iOS the "gold standard" for mobile apps
Apple's App Store "is a huge competitive differentiator," Whitmore wrote, citing survey data from more than 2000 mobile app developers reported by IDC and Appcelerator, which "showed software developers prefer the iOS platform: 91% of developers 'very interested' in developing for the iOS iPhone, 84% for iPad, followed by 82% for the Android phone and 62% for the Android tablet, 34% on Blackberry, 28% on Win-phone and 16% for each of the Blackberry tablet, webOS phone and webOS tablet (expected later this year).
"Nokia continues to struggle in the Smartphone market with developers showing minimal interest in developing for the Symbian (13%) and MeeGo platforms (7%).
"Developer interest in the iOS platform has increased over time with a significant spike in iPad interest (~54% in March, 2010 to ~84% in June, 2010) in conjunction with the introduction of the iPad. We continue to believe that iOS is the gold standard (iPad and iPhone) and favored platform for developers and we expect that trend to continue. Specifically we believe iPhone on Verizon, iPhone 5 and iPad 2 refreshes on the horizon will attract additional developer interest and users which in turn propagates the virtuous cycle that makes the iOS platform so valuable."
Whitmore added, "we are modeling CY11 iPhone units of 67M and 30M iPads which we view as conservative in light of the upcoming Verizon launch, iPhone 5 and iPad 2 in the next 6 months. Apple remains a top pick and we reiterate our Buy rating."
A report by the firm's research analyst Chris Whitmore noted the company is using Good Technologies' third party iOS app in conjunction with Microsoft Exchange Server to deliver enterprise email and calendar data to mobile users with AES 192 encryption.
This separates corporate data from any private email and calendar accounts a user sets up independently on their iPhone. The process of setting up Good's software on the user side was reported to take 10 to 15 minutes.
Good itself recently profiled Apple's iPhone as being the center of attention among enterprise users, with over half of its new device activations worldwide involving an iPhone or iPad, outnumbering Android, Windows Mobile and Symbian put together (Good does not work with BlackBerry devices).
Pros outweigh cons of ditching BlackBerry
"We found enterprise email on iPhone was a fantastic experience as it was easier/faster to access data (touch UI) than on the Blackberry," the report stated. "It was also great to only have to carry one device for personal and corporate email access."
Currently a BlackBerry shop, Deutsche Bank noted two "minor" disadvantages to the iPhone/Good combination being tested against RIM's BlackBerry/BlackBerry Enterprise Server package.
The first was that Good's app sends push notifications of new messages, but does not download emails in the background, requiring the user to open the app to get new messages (BES pushes email "as it arrives or in small batches" the report said.)
"The other under-appreciated feature on the Blackberry," the report stated, "was the blinking red light to signal new email. The iPhone has no equivalent which was a point of frustration as it required logging into the app frequently when awaiting a specific email."
Other differences were described as personal preferences. "We had mixed views regarding typing on the iPhone," the report said. "The Blackberry-faithful among us prefer the familiarity of a physical keyboard. Others preferred the iPhone when rotated into landscape mode, as it allowed for faster typing with few errors.
"In aggregate, we found the iPhone UI was very usable and the touch-less vs. physical keyboard debate is a function of personal preference and perhaps ?fatness of fingers?. Versus the Blackberry trackball, the iPhone interface is vastly superior is terms of speed and accessibility and prioritizing key emails and we view the Blackberry trackball as archaic and cumbersome."
Whitmore added, "after testing corporate email on iPhone for the past few months, there is no going back. We expect a lot of users will feel the same way when iPhones are offered at their workplaces."
The report specifically noted "the ability to carry a single device with a great UI and have access to multiple apps (like Bloomberg, for example) far outweighed these issues."
iOS the "gold standard" for mobile apps
Apple's App Store "is a huge competitive differentiator," Whitmore wrote, citing survey data from more than 2000 mobile app developers reported by IDC and Appcelerator, which "showed software developers prefer the iOS platform: 91% of developers 'very interested' in developing for the iOS iPhone, 84% for iPad, followed by 82% for the Android phone and 62% for the Android tablet, 34% on Blackberry, 28% on Win-phone and 16% for each of the Blackberry tablet, webOS phone and webOS tablet (expected later this year).
"Nokia continues to struggle in the Smartphone market with developers showing minimal interest in developing for the Symbian (13%) and MeeGo platforms (7%).
"Developer interest in the iOS platform has increased over time with a significant spike in iPad interest (~54% in March, 2010 to ~84% in June, 2010) in conjunction with the introduction of the iPad. We continue to believe that iOS is the gold standard (iPad and iPhone) and favored platform for developers and we expect that trend to continue. Specifically we believe iPhone on Verizon, iPhone 5 and iPad 2 refreshes on the horizon will attract additional developer interest and users which in turn propagates the virtuous cycle that makes the iOS platform so valuable."
Whitmore added, "we are modeling CY11 iPhone units of 67M and 30M iPads which we view as conservative in light of the upcoming Verizon launch, iPhone 5 and iPad 2 in the next 6 months. Apple remains a top pick and we reiterate our Buy rating."
Comments
iOS the "gold standard" for mobile apps
Oh boy... cue the Android trolls in 3...2...1...
Tiny screens. Useless browser. The horrible keyboard.
BB was the "stuff" once upon a time.
Now it's old junk that belongs in the attic or a garage sale.
The only real threat to Apple that I can see is if they misjudge how long they can keep their fists closed around the iOS use case. That is to say, if some fundamental style of usage is precluded by app store limitations but allowed by Android, then they could still marginalize themselves. Personally, I think they've been skating the line - expertly so, but sometimes I feel like it's a close thing. If Google and their partners got their heads out of hindquarters Android could represent an extremely potent challenge.
The rest of them? Zombie platforms.
The one thing I've always missed on my iPhone that I've had even on my cheap pay-as-you-go phones was some type blinking light that lets me know even from across the room that I've received a call or message. That is the one feature that is sorely missing from this great device. Maybe we'll get it with an iPhone 5 (I HOPE!!).
With a glass front I’d think it would be trival to add a rolling LED light like they have on Macs when in sleep mode. Hell, on MBPs the rolling LED light is behind aluminium milled thin enough that lights shines through.
PS: Assuming Apple will add this or an equivalent feature in the next iPhone (here’s hoping!), where do you think they’d add it?
Some obvious to less obvious ideas: Upper left hand quadrant above the display, center of the Home Button, or as a smaller, secondary display under the primary display that uses little power and gives off more information than a blinking light.
I know that last one is a bit out there, but Apple does have a patent for such a beast, which may be why they haven’t added this seemingly obvious, simple and useful light for the last 4 years.
With a glass front I?d think it would be trival to add a rolling LED light like they have on Macs when in sleep mode. Hell, on MBPs the rolling LED light is behind aluminium milled thin enough that lights shines through.
PS: Assuming Apple will add this or an equivalent feature in the next iPhone (here?s hoping!), where do you think they?d add it?
Some obvious to less obvious ideas: Upper left hand quadrant above the display, center of the Home Button, or as a smaller, secondary display under the primary display that uses little power and gives off more information than a blinking light.
I know that last one is a bit out there, but Apple does have a patent for such a beast, which may be why they haven?t added this seemingly obvious, simple and useful light for the last 4 years.
I think the last is the most likely and I expect the implementation to be awesome. In other words, typically apple. Apple is unlikely to add a plain Jane light to serve this one function. It would not jive with their core design philosophy. If it did, they would have added it long ago (probably within the home button).
I tell my customers to ditch BB on a daily basis.
Tiny screens. Useless browser. The horrible keyboard.
BB was the "stuff" once upon a time.
Now it's old junk that belongs in the attic or a garage sale.
Hilarious to recall the trolls here berating iPhone precisely because it didn't have a crappy, tiny plastic keyboard!
With a glass front I’d think it would be trival to add a rolling LED light like they have on Macs when in sleep mode. Hell, on MBPs the rolling LED light is behind aluminium milled thin enough that lights shines through.
PS: Assuming Apple will add this or an equivalent feature in the next iPhone (here’s hoping!), where do you think they’d add it?
Some obvious to less obvious ideas: Upper left hand quadrant above the display, center of the Home Button, or as a smaller, secondary display under the primary display that uses little power and gives off more information than a blinking light.
I know that last one is a bit out there, but Apple does have a patent for such a beast, which may be why they haven’t added this seemingly obvious, simple and useful light for the last 4 years.
I've managed with vibrate quite well. I'm not sure I'd see a flashing light when my iPhone is in my pocket. Maybe the bankers spend too much time with their phones on the table next to them in the bars spending our bail out money?
RIM will soon be like the last company that made the best horsewhip when Ford started mass producing cars.
The one thing I've always missed on my iPhone that I've had even on my cheap pay-as-you-go phones was some type blinking light that lets me know even from across the room that I've received a call or message. That is the one feature that is sorely missing from this great device. Maybe we'll get it with an iPhone 5 (I HOPE!!).
I don't have an iPhone yet, but will soon with Verizon. However I didn't know it couldn't do this. So you have to pick up the phone and check it if you were out of hearing for a minute or two? I'm actually surprised at Apple.
Sure they were the "stuff" at some point but they rested on their laurels too long
I don't have an iPhone yet, but will soon with Verizon. However I didn't know it couldn't do this. So you have to pick up the phone and check it if you were out of hearing for a minute or two? I'm actually surprised at Apple.
Yes and no. The device may sound and/or vibrate when a phone message or text comes in unless you turn those functions off. In the case of a text message it turns on the screen and is visible. But the screen does turn off after a minute or two to preserve battery life. You can also control how many times the text alert continues to repeat (even greater control options in forthcoming update). But he's right. There is no light that comes on and stays on. Hasn't been a problem for me, but then I never had anything but iPhones. I've never heard anyone else express concern over the absence of a beacon, so it shouldn't be a deal-breaker for you. You just adapt--kinda like adapting to not having physical keys.
With a glass front I?d think it would be trival to add a rolling LED light like they have on Macs when in sleep mode. Hell, on MBPs the rolling LED light is behind aluminium milled thin enough that lights shines through.
So it WAS an engineer from Apple who got the famous formula for transparent aluminum from Scottie in Star Trek IV (it was traded for some plexiglass panels to build the whale-tank in the cargo hold of the Klingon starship, circa 1986). Hmm....what OTHER secrets were divulged to Apple folks on that trip?
Moreover, for a lot of the buying public (read, younger) "email" is a bit old school, with most communication happening as texts or Facebook postings. I don't think Apple puts a "business" feature into hardware when it's selling so many phones to the post email generation.
Now, I guess I could see a user selectable notification light with possible settings for text, email, IM or Twitter.
The one thing I've always missed on my iPhone that I've had even on my cheap pay-as-you-go phones was some type blinking light that lets me know even from across the room that I've received a call or message. That is the one feature that is sorely missing from this great device. Maybe we'll get it with an iPhone 5 (I HOPE!!).
Isn't this what Steve meant when he said, paraphrasing here, 'if you need to add something what are you going to do? Stop the assembly line and make the change? But what of phones already out, you can't just add another plastic button...'
Couldn't this be fixed with a software update to tell the iPhone screen to act like one of those flashlight apps and "glow" white, moderately blinking on and off when a new message or phone call was received. And, if can be done, to where the iPhone can pick up on the spoken words left in a voicemail message that might have "ASAP", "immediately", "emergency", "right now", and other similar words and phrases in it that will then tell the iPhone the importance of the message and to "glow" red and blink faster or some such script?
Seems like functionality like this can be added, or am I wrong?
Isn't this what Steve meant when he said, paraphrasing here, 'if you need to add something what are you going to do? Stop the assembly line and make the change? But what of phones already out, you can't just add another plastic button...'
Couldn't this be fixed with a software update to tell the iPhone screen to act like one of those flashlight apps and "glow" white, moderately blinking on and off when a new message or phone call was received. And, if can be done, to where the iPhone can pick up on the spoken words left in a voicemail message that might have "ASAP", "immediately", "emergency", "right now", and other similar words and phrases in it that will then tell the iPhone the importance of the message and to "glow" red and blink faster or some such script?
Seems like functionality like this can be added, or am I wrong?
That sounds more like it. Just enable in software the ability to toggle on some kind of screen behavior as a notification. You could emulate the hardware red light by just having a dot on the screen pulse.
Or maybe that defeats the power savings of having the screen off altogether? Does running a tiny bit of the screen still require some kind of general power draw to the entire screen?
The one thing I've always missed on my iPhone that I've had even on my cheap pay-as-you-go phones was some type blinking light that lets me know even from across the room that I've received a call or message. That is the one feature that is sorely missing from this great device. Maybe we'll get it with an iPhone 5 (I HOPE!!).
You mean there isn't an app for that? Somebody could make a fortune writing an app for that. Maybe it's Microsoft or Android, but doesn't the phone have to be on the desk or in your face to see that blinking light?