TORONTO – IBM has unveiled IBM MobileFirst, which it claims is the industry’s most comprehensive mobile portfolio that combines new solutions in mobile security, analytics, and application development software, with cloud-based services and mobile services expertise.
IBM says that with MobileFirst, businesses can now streamline everything from the management of employee mobile devices, to the creation of a new mobile commerce app that will transform their entire business model.
Today’s move says IBM builds off its experience helping nearly 1,000 customers become mobile enterprises, and takes advantage of its thousands of mobile experts and 270 patents in wireless innovations.
IBM is also announcing an expanded relationship with AT&T to provide developers with tools to create faster, richer mobile apps and services for customers. For instance, organizations can now quickly incorporate payment and messages into their apps.
“To date, mobile computing has been dominated by discussions of new smartphones, operating systems, games and apps,” said Robert LeBlanc, senior vice president, middleware software, IBM.
“But enterprises have yet to tap into the potential of mobile business. Just as the Internet transformed the way we bank, book vacations and manage our healthcare, mobile computing is also transforming industries. As these devices become ingrained in everything that we do, businesses are now in the palms of their customers’ hands. IBM MobileFirst is designed to make the transformation to becoming a mobile enterprise a reality.”
It says that Daegu Health College and the Dutch City of Eindhoven are prime examples of how IBM is helping clients transform using mobile.
IBM is already working with ING Direct Canada to build and manage its mobile solution architecture and develop mobile banking applications to support iOS, Android and Blackberry operating systems. With no brick and mortar branches, ING Direct Canada uses IBM mobile services and software to help clients view balances and transactions through their mobile devices with apps that integrate with social platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Through the use of IBM MobileFirst businesses can:
· Transform processes to be able to support the instantaneous nature of mobile computing
· Rethink how businesses approach exchanging goods and services on a mobile platform so they can generate a profit.
· Give customer service a whole new meaning by leveraging analytics to completely evolve customer experiences that are personalized based on location and preferences.
· Connect mobile devices into existing backend systems to put the power of a once static business directly into the hands of today’s mobile consumers and employees.