Gartner: iPhone 3G good but security concerns abound

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 19 June 2008 08:16

Your IT - Mobility

The big cheeses of the analyst world, Gartner, have released an interim update on the iPhone 3G that goes into detail on all the improvements and issues that Apple has delivered – and still faces. The company most at threat from the fruity contender? Nokia.

Gartner’s latest report on the iPhone 3G, by Ken Dulaney, sells for US $495. It’s an 8-page summary of all the important things that companies need to know about Apple’s newest piece of technology.

While many who have been fervently reading the endless flood of iPhone articles would probably already know most of what the Gartner article contains, and would likely come to the same conclusions, Gartner isn’t arguably the world’s most respected analyst firm for nothing. I’ll bet this report has sold like hotcakes for them!

Billed as an “interim” update on the iPhone, which clearly means there’s another update to come in the future, Gartner says the Apple has “corrected one of the major shortcomings of the previous versions” by finally going with 3G.

Gartner estimates 3G could deliver up to three times the speed of EDGE connections (which is more than Apple’s claim of “twice as fast”, but Gartner also acknowledges that Apple’s price points to buy the device aren’t the final cost of iPhone ownership.

It believes the iPhone will “prove extremely popular in the market” but still “remains behind Microsoft and RIM” despite improving its position in the marketplace through the new Enterprise focused features of the iPhone 2.0 software.

Indeed, one of Gartner’s key findings is that “Apple's level of security protection for the iPhone is still unclear”, but still believes that, thanks to the lowered price point and compelling apps, “iPhones will enter the enterprise en masse.”

Gartner recommends that IT organisations “wait until July 11”, (like the rest of us, I suppose), “when more details on the enterprise components of the v.2.0 software release will be made public, to make a final determination on supporting the iPhone.”

Gartner also says enterprises should “definitely include the iPhone in their plans” and should “acquire an iPhone when released and develop expertise on the product, whether it is deployed or not.”

So, is Nokia in danger? Please read on to page 2.