The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the latest government organization to adopt Apple's iPhone and iPad after ditching Research in Motion's BlackBerry.
Enterprise mobile services vendor Good Technology reported that iPad accounted for 96 percent of tablets and iPhone 53 percent of smartphones activated by the more than 2,000 companies using its services in the fourth quarter, giving iOS a 71 percent share of all mobile devices.
Apple could see as much as 50 percent growth in global corporate IT spending on its devices this year, according to a recent survey from a market research firm.
Apple's recent success in the enterprise comes as the company has worked to cater to businesses' needs, and also as Chief Executive Tim Cook has shown a friendlier side than companies were used to with Steve Jobs.
Mac business users have been shown to be more productive than their PC counterparts, prompting Forrester Research to encourage companies to support Apple hardware in the workplace.
A briefing by Gartner on the management of employee owned devices within corporate circles "affirms the strong opportunity of Apple in the enterprise," a market where 91 percent of the Fortune 500 are testing or deploying iOS devices.
In spite of initial skepticism from industry watchers, Apple’s annual Back to School promotion is off to a strong start, pushing a fourfold increase in Mac sales over that of Windows PCs by college students in some circles.
A new survey of ActiveSync-based smartphones in the enterprise found that Apple's iPhone is the market leader with a 61 percent share and growing, while Google Android owns just 17 percent.
Apple has taken a significant lead in the corporate world with the success of its iPad tablet, said one analyst, while predicting the company will sell 33.7 million iPads this year.
Enterprise mobile services vendor Good Technology reported a 64 percent increase in the iPad's share of all device activations over the past quarter among its more than 2,000 companies deploying mobile devices. The jump extended Apple's iOS lead over Android, with more than twice as many device activations over all of 2010.
An analyst's survey of 1,100 consumers found just 6 percent reporting they are "likely" to buy RIM's new playbook, less than half the number who said the same of Apple's iPad last February.
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.
While most market estimates figure Apple will sell 45-48 million iPads next year, the company has reportedly placed orders with suppliers for 65 million 9.7 inch iPad displays.
Apple is working with carrier business teams at Verizon Wireless to "drive adoption of iPad in enterprise accounts," following an initial push aimed at consumers.
Apple issued a free update for iPhoto and a new version of its iPhone Configuration Utility for both Mac and Windows users.
Apple's efforts to muscle its way into the corporate market with iPhones and iPads is getting an infusion of talent from Research In Motion, maker of the BlackBerry, with at least five employees making the switch in the last year and a half.
Two of America's largest banks are actively testing Apple's iPhone as a replacement of their existing RIM BlackBerry devices for corporate email.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty described China as an "unappreciated" potential growth driver for Apple, setting a $375 "base case" target for the company's stock and a "bull case" scenario where Apple shares could reach $500 by next fall.
An executive from Ingram Micro, one of Apple's largest distributors, revealed Thursday that Apple is allowing the firm to pursue enterprise sales of the iPad, as businesses express increasing interest in purchasing the touchscreen tablet.
Apple has contracted with Unisys Corp to help it sell the Mac, iPhone and iPad to corporations and US government agencies outside of the company's core markets in education and consumers.
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AppleInsider Staff
Daniel Eran Dilger
Josh Ong
Neil Hughes
Blake Steven
Slash Lane
