You really need to recheck you augments. Some of your points are valid but most are subjective, ie the ease of use of the virtual keyboard. In my opinion after one uses it they will soon realize the software is intuitive and allow you fingers to float through large amounts of text. It would be wrong to discourage people from supporting this new tool because of a bias toward apple.

Seriously, you need to check your facts. iPhone doesn't work in other countries? Then how on earth did that US guy end up with a $3,000 iPhone bill after traveling in Europe for 2 weeks, that made all the news. It's called International Roaming. Perhaps you should look into it. I, personally, have made and received many calls in countries where the iPhone is not for sale, and my iPhone has not been modified in any way to do so.

It's a shame to see such shoddy journalism on the part of CIO, or blatantly posting incorrect information for some sort of agenda.

Please note that the reasons stated within this article are not my personal beliefs on why the iPhone may not be suited for business use. These are Forrester Research's reasons, as is stated multiple times throughout the piece.

I would certainly like to know if the information is inaccurate, as you suggest. Could you please provide links to sources of information to back up your claim?

Thanks.

AS

Note that there is no empirical evidence that changing passwords makes for better security. In fact, forcing password changes actually DECREASES security as it leads to easily remembered passwords. I have no idea who first came up with the notion that changing passwords regularly was a good idea, but it isn't. It's the stupidest idea in security. As a security specialist, I've fought this fight for years only to be met with "everyone says to do it" and yet can't find anyone that offers anything resembling proof.

Most of the claims you made are subjective. None are based on fact. I've owned several smart devices (winMo, blackberries, and an iPhone obviously)...I type MUCH quicker on the virtual keyboard than on a tactile one. It "learns" what you are attempting to type and allows you auto-complete long fragments of text that you type frequently.

As far as it being expensive, what blackberries cost less than this? You are going off what it costs to buy a phone WITH a new 2 year. I have seen several phones in ATT stores and retailers of the like that are almost 1,000$ if you are buying them without a 2 year, so that isn't really fair, now is it?

If Apple offered a discount with a 2-year, it would have been the exact same, if not much lower in price than most PDAs and smart devices.

Changing passwords, I agree with the person that posted before me. When someone forces you to change pw's regularly, you eventually run out of things to use and start using very easy things to remember. If you have one good password that no one will guess and you keep it private, why mess up a good thing?

Bottom line, most of your claims are backed up by minuscule facts, or none at all.

The lack of 3G would have been a main point, and you put it as a side point. That is the one thing besides push e-mail that I can see as a downfall, and push may not be an issue forever.

Al,

It's certainly clear throughout the article that the positions are Forester's. What's surprising and shocking is that a publication as reputable as CIO is now just regurgitating facts handed to them, without performing even a modicum of fact-checking or reporting.

Very disappointing. Perhaps you can run another story about how Forester publishes inaccurate reports at $249 retail? Now there's some investigative journalism ...

As you requested (really, this was not hard to find at all) --

http://www.apple.com/iphone/questionsandanswers.html

"Can I use my iPhone internationally?

iPhone is a quad-band GSM phone and will work around the world. Before you travel, make sure that international dialing and roaming are enabled through AT&T and that the places you’re going offer GSM coverage. Visit AT&T help for more information."

Ditto to comments regarding fact checking. We are not iPhone users, and look to CIO and related sites to add objectivity to these discussions, and so to aid us in our decisions. Here, it seems, if easily checked points had been checked, the overall reliability of the source report might have been questioned. As well, in terms of our decision-making, CIO would have provided a service to readers had it used its position to solicit a response from Apple corporate (eg, regarding plans for push email and other new features). Better next time, svp. Cheers.

From Chris Silva, one of the Forrester analysts who worked on the iPhone report, in response to your comments on reason number seven:

"I think this may have gotten a bit lost in translation. While users of the iPhone are able to take the phone and use it overseas with AT&T's preferred partners, the user is still restricted to those carriers that AT&T deems acceptable, leaving the user without any choice in the matter and unable to choose, say, T-Mobile or another (perhaps cheaper) carrier due to the phone being restricted to AT&T and predefined partners."

AS

I would agree with others that there is little value in many of Forresters "opinions". That being said, I would not support iphones on my network. Cost is mentioned but the cost of the service plan makes up for the initial cost of the iphone. If you compare the cost of the phone and the plan over 2 years, the iphone is the same as anything else. If you have ever broken a phone ane needed to replace one without a new plan you have felt the sting of the full cost of a blackberry. The problem with the iphone is the setup and billing. There is no method of setting up or connecting with a corporate account or minute pools. Combind that with no encription and no ability to remotly wipe the device and its a deal breaker for me. Also, the need to install desktop software makes my life difficult so if its avoidable I prefer to live without end user sync applications. Great product, just not yet ready for the workplace.

The One Reason IT Should Support the Apple iPhone

Because all the IT managers who smugly quoted Forrester Research have been fired by the bosses who requested it.

:-)

Serously, shouldn't IT be supporting the needs of the organization - especially those who are pushing the boundaries vs just maintaining the status quo?

The article raises some good points, none of which is a serious, show-stopping issue in my opinion.