Apple and Cisco this week struck a wide-ranging partnership aimed at further accelerating the adoption of iOS devices by enterprises.
Under the agreement, Cisco will optimise the performance of iPhones and iPads on enterprise networks that use its hardware. The companies will also work together to enable enterprises to make the most of Cisco’s voice, video and Web-conferencing products on their iOS devices.
"Nearly every Fortune 500 and Global 500 company today has put iOS at the centre of their mobile strategy, claimed Apple CEO Tim Cook on Monday.
"iPhone and iPad have become essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done. Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximise the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love," he said.
"95% of companies in the Fortune 500 count on Cisco collaboration and Cisco networks to help their teams be more productive," added Cisco executive chairman John Chambers. "Through this engineering and go-to-market partnership, we’re offering our joint customers the ability to seamlessly extend that awesome Cisco environment to their favourite iOS devices."
The cat in the smart hat
Meanwhile, not wanting Apple to hog all the limelight, Google on Monday announced that its Android Wear wearabl es platform is now compatible with the iPhone 5, 5C, 5S, 6 and 6 Plus.
It means that iPhone owners can pair an Android Wear smartwatch to carry out tasks like checking messages and emails, and track their fitness.
David Singleton, Google’s director of engineering for Android Wear, looked to a certain children’s author to take a thinly-veiled swipe at Apple’s vertically-integrated ecosystem.
"Dr. Seuss once said: ‘Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.’ We agree," he said in a blog post. "So whoever you are, and whatever you like, Android Wear lets you wear what you want."
