Apple and Cisco form partnership to ‘deliver fast lane’ for iOS enterprise users

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In a press release issued Monday, Apple announced a partnership with network giant Cisco designed to deliver “fast lane” for iOS enterprise users. The initiative strives to optimize Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps and integrate the iPhone with Cisco enterprise environments.

The goal is to “provide unique collaboration” opportunities to enterprise customers on the iPhone and iPad.

iPhones and Cisco video platforms

Cisco has pledged to optimize its software for iOS across mobile, cloud and its tools like Cisco Spark, Cisco Telepresence and Cisco WebEx.

“iOS is the world’s best mobile platform, and nearly every Fortune 500 and Global 500 company today has put iOS at the center of their mobile strategy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s boss.

The iPhone and iPad have become “essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done,” he said “Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximize the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love.”

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Both Cisco networks and iOS devices will be optimized to work together more efficiently and reliably “with the goal of providing users with even greater performance.”

The two companies are already hard at work developing solutions to make iPhones play nice with Cisco’s voice and video platforms. These initiatives should “reinvent the meeting experience” and provide mobile workers with “a seamless experience between iPhone and their desk phone.”

Apple, Cisco and the ‘iPhone’ name

Shortly after launching the iPhone in the summer of 2007, Apple and Cisco announced a settlement in their trademark-infringement lawsuit over the use of Cisco’s ‘iPhone’ moniker. In a statement announcing the settlement, the two firms promised to explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security and of consumer and business communications.

Today’s announcement makes good on that promise.

iOS in the Enterprise

Last summer, the Cupertino firm formed a similar business-oriented partnership with IBM designed to bring about a whole new class of business apps to enterprise customers using iPhones and iPads.

Source: Apple, Cisco