It’s that time again when companies report their earnings from the previous fiscal quarter. Yesterday, we talked about Apple’s media conference call and how the company has positioned the iPad for widespread use in the business world. Today, the topic is the iPhone and mobile carriers.
According to AT&T’s fourth quarter numbers, the cellular provider activated a record 8.6 million iPhones. Of that total, 16 percent were new activations as opposed to current customers making upgrades. Meanwhile, AT&T’s biggest competitor, Verizon, reported that it had handled 6.2 million iPhone activations, a record for that company as well.
There are several pieces of valuable information we can glean from this. First off, the iPhone isn’t going away anytime soon. With all-time highs for both of the top two service providers, including a healthy number of new consumers choosing Apple’s iconic smartphone for the first time, iOS management will become a top priority for small and midsize businesses (SMBs). Whether it find its way into the workplace via bring-your-own-device programs or through company purchases, the iPhone is now deeply ingrained in the professional realm.
The second item worthy of noting is that, with growing numbers of iOS users, the opportunities for SMBs to reach more customers is only going to increase in kind. Custom programming for mobile apps is something everyone should be focusing on right now.
Furthermore, as Apple continues to blur the lines between the Mac operating system – running on its desktop and laptop computers – and the iOS mobile platform, companies are able to form entire IT ecosystems that are more connected and fluid than ever before. Mac integration now includes the entire spectrum of Apple products, all working seamlessly with one another.
Existing iPhone users are sticking with their beloved smartphone. New users are constantly joining the club and activating their own. And their doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
