Apple, IBM team up on mobile devices for business

Apple and IBM unveiled a "landmark" partnership to win over business customers by offering iPhones and iPads that are specially tailored to the corporate world, AFP reported Wednesday.

The tie-up between the two aims to boost Apple's share of the market for mobile devices for businesses and will offer custom-made apps which bring the power of IBM's supercomputing analytics to a mobile workforce, a joint statement said.

The companies plan to release more than 100 industry-specific enterprise solutions including apps developed for the iOS platform, along with IBM cloud services, security and analytics.

As part of the deal, IBM will also sell iPhones and iPads tailored to specific industries.

"For the first time ever, we're putting IBM's renowned big data analytics at iOS users' fingertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple," said Apple's CEO Tim Cook.

Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO, said the alliance "will build on our momentum in bringing these innovations to our clients globally."

Industry analyst Jeff Kagan called the tie-up an "incredible turn of events."

"Apple is looking for growth in the business community for their devices like iPhone, iPad and iCloud services. IBM is the company who can help Apple do just that," he said.

"The mobile and telecom space is one of the hottest--growing segments. Apple really has not done a great job on the business side of the market. That's why this deal with IBM seems to make so much sense," he noted.

Apple will create a new service and support offering tailored help, while IBM will manage some of the functions like device activation and security.

The new offerings will be pushed through Apple's new mobile operating system, iOS 8, which was unveiled in June.

The news comes with Apple seeking to boost growth amid a global onslaught of smartphones and tablets using the Google Android operating system. While Apple is popular among many consumers, its appeal to corporate users has been more limited.

The research firm IDC said it expects Android smartphones to remain on top with 80.4 percent market share in 2014, while Apple's market share for the iPhone is forecast to be 14.8 percent.