14 DAY TRIAL // Rob Enderle, founder and principal analyst at the Enderle Group, claims companies eyeing the iPhone as a working tool should wait a little more before adopting the handset for their environment.
Pointing out to Apple's experience with selling electronics, Enderle warns that any possible flaws with the new iPhone 3G may take quite some time to surface. "Apple is one of those companies that could sell refrigerators to Eskimos, but that does not suggest that Eskimos should actually buy them," he said. "The problem is that Apple tends to lead on hype and does a good job controlling initial product reviews," he added. "Problems associated with the iPhone 3G probably will not be known until the week after it launches when the raft of independent reviews becomes available," Enderle's claims go.
As most of you already know, iPhone software 2.0 offers support for Exchange and Cisco VPN, while the 3G device running the same software adds GPS as well. This makes it a highly attractive device for working environments, which is exactly why Enderle advises people not to throw themselves at it without exercising a bit of caution.
Enderle noted, among other negative aspects surrounding the new device, that iPhone 3G has poor battery life and software availability. This, according to a Vnunet piece, "could make the handset impractical for business use," the analyst suggested.
"It would be better for employees and their companies if purchases of the iPhone 3G were delayed until at least September when critical parts like battery life, App Store security and application performance are better understood," said Enderle. "Businesses can then be assured that iPhone-using employees will be able to communicate reliably. In short, wait until the iPhone 3G exits 'beta' and meets your company's needs before embracing it," goes the analyst's recommendation.
iPhone 3G was released on July 11th, 2008. Apple reported sales of over 1 million handsets three days into the official launch.