Major U.S. Banks Piloting iPhone for Employee Usage

[RandomKamikaze]

Some more banks adopting the iPhone. Cool. They are not the first either

Carriers have adopted it as well. I know of people from different carriers that use their iPhone as their chosen smartphone.

ActiveSync is a great technology, and it has little to do with Apple and more to do with Microsoft. RIM was king in the corporate world because there weren't many other options besides cumbersome POP3/IMAP. Microsoft's technology is still fairly new and it's finally a polished, true product. Most important, it's free and second most important is it's part of the actual product so there are no other software packages to run or hardware requirements besides scaling for usage.

All Apple and Android for that matter really did here was take MS's software and put it on their phone. IT people are just finally convincing bean counters RIM isn't necessary anymore.

It is a Microsoft Developed solution. It was released 5 years ago with Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2. I would say the OS (iOS and Android) manufactures have helped ActiveSync though by listening to their customers and including it with their devices. Although its either due to the OS manufactures or Microsoft, you get more features from a Microsoft powered device than others.

This article says they are testing software as well. Wonder if they are using 3rd party software such as MobileIron or Good Technologies or something similar.

Wow. I wonder how many people fall for that scam.

See:
http://www.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise/
and
http://images.apple.com/iphone/business/docs/iPhone_Security.pdf
for iPhones

and
http://www.apple.com/support/ipad/enterprise/
http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/Enterprise_Deployment_Guide.pdf
http://images.apple.com/ipad/business/pdf/iPad_Security_Overview.pdf
for iPad deployment.

There is absolutely no need for that "Good App" on iOS. It might be different for Android but Apple does offer enterprise solutions for deploying corporate iPhones.

Unfortunately it looks like you don't have much exposure to the Good App or its backend infrastructure. As others have said the App allows for a BYOD culture with data segregation. The ability to wipe the corporate data without wiping the dirty pictures or music. Jailbreaking detection (big for corporates). No inbound rule on the corporate firewall.

It all comes down to the internal politics at the company.

Both solutions have their merits, just don't dismiss something because you read a few PDFs.

 

[brian5]

Took em long enough. At the mid sized bank I work for, we've been using iPhones in the corporate enterprise for almost 2 years now.

And your point is what? These are large banks and in this day and age, they have proceed with caution. They are locking down computers more and more -- one can't use USB drives, can't install most software, can't use web-mail or online file storage, etc.
I think that they're doing the right thing by doing this BUT they should not rush into it.

 

[brian5]

Now if only Bank of America will fix their online banking application to work for the state of Washington and Idaho like they've been talking about for the last two years.

Can we stay on topic?

 

[brian5]

only when it comes to Verizon,

ATT is terrible.

Sorry to say it but you're wrong about needing to wait.

iPhone 4 on AT&T is WAY BETTER than BlackBerry on Verizon. I have both and would love to get rid of the BlackBerry.

 

[brian5]

you know what else would be huge? IF BOA UPDATED THEIR ****ING IPHONE APP SO THAT ITS HALF WAY USEFUL! chase iphone app > boa iphone app.

Can we just stay on topic? This is about iPhone usage, instead of BB usage, by large corporate institutions.

If you don't like their app, don't use it.

 

[brian5]

i'm not an employee, but i did just switch to chase because BoA didn't have iPhone check depositing. Hopefully this is a sign they're about to change that.

My bank does not yet iPhone check depositing, which I think that will do eventually, but I use PayPal for iPhone check depositing (of small checks) for now.

 

[mcmlxix]

I work for a HUGE bank, and while it's not impossible to get a work issue iPhone, it's entirely improbable.

AT&T is not our preferred vendor. A Verizon iPhone could possibly be a game changer though. Also the unit cost of the iPhone is higher than a Blackberry.

It's stated that one needs a very strong business case to be considered for an iPhone, but I don't know what that case would be since IT locks down the iPhone so much that it's no longer really an iPhone.

We do develop for and test our products thoroughly for consumers who use IOS and OS X* though. I think we also consider ourself as leaders in mobile banking...true or not, I don't know. Also keep your eye out for television commercials with customers using their Mac Book Pros at home and you'll know who we are.

The iPad in corporate seems well on its way to being a darling though. We snatched up a lot of them early on.

*Well, that is to say Safari. A little off topic, don't expect HTML 5 to be widely adopted by these banks until MS is 100% on board in Internet Explorer.

 

[mcmlxix]

Wachovia never created one, and the transition to Wells Fargo continues at a snail's pace, so I can't use WF's app or mobile website either for now.

Perhaps integrating Wachovia has proven more difficult than organizing cats.

These are large banks and in this day and age, they have proceed with caution. They are locking down computers more and more -- one can't use USB drives, can't install most software, can't use web-mail or online file storage, etc. I think that they're doing the right thing by doing this BUT they should not rush into it.

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

[me2000]

I'm on a mobile device team for a relatively large company. We give people the option of BlackBerry, iPhone and Windows Mobile 6. 9/10 corporate phones we order are iPhones and most personal phone requests are for iPhones.

 

[mikejfrd]

only when it comes to Verizon,

ATT is terrible.

REALLY!!?? Well I work in the BOA Corp center in Charlotte and I can tell you that as of now ATT works much better than Verizon at 100 North Tryon Street. Sorry guy, but your opinion is terrible!

 

[milatchi]

BlackBerry for Iphone?

Give up my BlackBerry for an Iphone?
NEVER!

 

[twoodcc]

giving people choice is not always good, but in this case, it is

 

[AttilaTheHun]

Give up my BlackBerry for an Iphone?
NEVER!

I am with you
1-NO BB Massanger?
2- never drop a call?
3-remove e mail from device or device/server?
4 battery life?

when iphone will have this, than I can drop my BB and use only my iphone

 

[pubwvj]

Wait a minute, aren't these banks Evil?

 

[Nevpaurion]

Hmm, maybe this will make them get their crap together when it comes to the iphones piss poor notification system. I doubt business people will put up with that seeing as they probably have to sort through a ton of email and texts.

 

[Muad'Dib]

I am with you
1-NO BB Massanger?
2- never drop a call?
3-remove e mail from device or device/server?
4 battery life?

when iphone will have this, than I can drop my BB and use only my iphone

1. Isn't BB Massanger [sic] just a text message? Why is that such a big deal?
2. Never drop a call? Your's must not be on AT&T like mine.
3. If I delete an e-mail, I want it gone everywhere. Don't want to just delete it on my phone. That annoys me and I never understood that.
4. Sure, but can't do even 1/4 of what my iPhone can do.

I have both, I always leave my BB at home.

 

[miles01110]

The news marks yet more evidence of Research in Motion's weakening position in the corporate world...

What? If anything it just shows that Apple is making inroads in a Blackbery/Microsoft dominated corporate world. RIM still dominates the mobile corporate e-mail arena by a large margin.

...following strong growth by Apple in the most recent quarter which saw the iPhone surpass the BlackBerry line in sales.

So you're using total sales to draw comparisons between a consumer-oriented company (Apple) to a business-oriented company (RIM)? Non sequiter ftw. I'd be willing to bet that a proportionally small ( < 10-15%) of iPhone sales are "corporate" sales.

There is absolutely no need for that "Good App" on iOS. It might be different for Android but Apple does offer enterprise solutions for deploying corporate iPhones.

Yeah- they do offer enterprise solutions... too bad they all suck. Any sort of business that cares at all about security (which should be everyone these days) has problems with Apple because there is no Apple-supported equivalent to the Blackberry Enterprise Server for pushing out updates, corporate security policies, and content restriction.

 

[daveslc]

Want corporate business, improve Apple Mail

Apple Mail is a dog of an email program. If Apple want to woo the business world, they need to spend some time improving Apple Mail.

 

[andiwm2003]

if you check the financial situation of Bank of America you would think investing resources to switch to a different cell phone should be the last of their priorities.

 

[bronzini]

The Fortune 500 retailer I worked for just started supporting iOS and Android, with one major catch -- they only support personal devices.

They use software from Good Technology, which requires you to run the Good App on your smartphone. That app silos and encrypts all of your company email, address book, contacts, etc. Any security policies they put on that data only affect the Good App. (i.e. they can require a 6-digit password each time you enter the Good App, but they won't make you put a password on your phone in general).

What's interesting is that given the choice between being issued a company-paid BlackBerry or having to pay for your own personal smartphone yourself, I'd say 80% of folks went the personal smartphone route.

Let me add that I work for one of the two banks mentioned and the software being used is the Good App. It works pretty well so far with a few hiccups. The big savings here is that the company won't give you an iphone instead of a blackberry, but will let you use your own personal device instead of carrying TWO devices. Saves them a ton of $$$$. I have unlimited data, so less of an issue. I have noticed that the Good App is a data hog. They have recently upgraded the good app to allow it to utilize the multi tasking aspects of IOS4. Previously you had to sign in each time you navigated away for a second.

Finally, for the same company, we aren't testing Android also. Just iPhone and iPad. Security has been a big issue and with Android's open platform, I don't see it happening at my bank anytime soon.

 

[bronzini]

Perhaps integrating Wachovia has proven more difficult than organizing cats.



Yes, yes, and yes.

^ agreed.

 

[jfulcher]

The Fortune 500 retailer I worked for just started supporting iOS and Android, with one major catch -- they only support personal devices.

They use software from Good Technology, which requires you to run the Good App on your smartphone. That app silos and encrypts all of your company email, address book, contacts, etc. Any security policies they put on that data only affect the Good App. (i.e. they can require a 6-digit password each time you enter the Good App, but they won't make you put a password on your phone in general).

What's interesting is that given the choice between being issued a company-paid BlackBerry or having to pay for your own personal smartphone yourself, I'd say 80% of folks went the personal smartphone route.

My company (Fortune 500 company too - ~70k employees globally) is doing the same. Using the Good App - which isn't that bad, people pay for the iPhone out of pocket, but the line is under corporate responsibility. So they are willing to pay the bill if we buy the equipment. The large reason for that is because the Blackberrys we get for free, but the iPhones are $199/$299. Apple needs to start giving free equipment to companies and they might even get more customers.

We are also adding Android via the Good app next year as well and some of the android are going to be offered for free. We started being offered the iPhones in conjunction with the launch of an app we put out, and I'm guessing the Android support is going to be because of support there.

Blackberry has got to be hurting.

 

[jfulcher]

Let me add that I work for one of the two banks mentioned and the software being used is the Good App. It works pretty well so far with a few hiccups. The big savings here is that the company won't give you an iphone instead of a blackberry, but will let you use your own personal device instead of carrying TWO devices. Saves them a ton of $$$$. I have unlimited data, so less of an issue. I have noticed that the Good App is a data hog. They have recently upgraded the good app to allow it to utilize the multi tasking aspects of IOS4. Previously you had to sign in each time you navigated away for a second.

Finally, for the same company, we aren't testing Android also. Just iPhone and iPad. Security has been a big issue and with Android's open platform, I don't see it happening at my bank anytime soon.

The Good app is offered on the Android as well - with the same security that is offered in the IOS version. It encrypts everything in it's own container.

 

[entmdm]

Apple in Enterprise

Apple has control of the Enterprise market and I say that not because of the iPhone being adopted (thats not news) but because the iPad is being tested and adopted by every major health care, retail, financial, government and education institution in the US. Once again, rim is late to the game. http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...t_unlikely_to_ship_before_March?taxonomyId=75
I saw a story last night that claims execs at both rim and MS believed apple was lying about the iphone capabilities when they released the device. The storm was rim's reaction to the iphone and we all know how that went...