10-25-2012, 02:17 AM
onthedownlow wrote:
Office (in a true Business/Enterprise/Educational environment) is integrated into so many things for authentication and other convenient features (e.g. SharePoint, Active Directory).
Just like Apple has produced a nice ecosystem within its products, so has Microsoft for the 'serious' user (read as 'not an individual' in one of the above environments) and to take on the champ and win is almost a futile effort - just as it is when somebody tries to go up against Apple and iTunes.
Everything helps (Apple), but they will likely never unseat the king.
I'm not so sure. First the iPhone then the iPad has my very conservative organization re-thinking its long-term IT plans for the first time in 20 years. The bottom line is that the Docs that are in charge are finally feeling the frustration (using their new iOS toys) with the constraints of the microsoft environment that the Apple computer users have felt for years. This is MUCH more important than BYOP. Docs are writing software for the iPads; the iPads are now entering the waiting rooms.
Windows 8 does NOT have the same enterprise security that is provided now in iOS6. So even hardware from microsoft cannot compete in this space yet.
This really IS Apple's chance to change how enterprise deals with hardware. We'll see whether it's just a blip or a new vector in the next 12-18 months.