Microsoft Push Enterprise Devices at CTIA
by Ewan Spence
Steve Ballmer keynoted the first day of the CTIA IT and Entertainment conference, and one of his key announcements was the launch of System Center Mobile Device Manager. This is a set of tools for Enterprise customers that would allow Windows Mobile smartphones to be managed by IT departments with the same granularity as desktop and laptop based equipment in a company.
With between 100 and 150 million instances of MS-Exchange in the wild, compared to around 8-12 million mobile inboxes on smartphones, Microsoft must feel that the discrepancy is worth addressing. Leveraging the Enterprise space to push a product is arguably the same modus operandi used previously by Redmond, but it does make a certain amount of sense, especially as thanks to Active Sync, Windows Mobile devices are some of the most well connected smart devices out there.
Providing IT departments with a feature set they are already comfortable with; and one that should slide easily into corporate IT plans; should see the continued adoption of Windows Mobile devices in the Enterprise space – with security and firmware updates handled centrally, an easy workflow process, and the promise of an Out of the Box experience that has the same ease of use as a consumer device, this could be a good medium to long term move.
One of the main issues standing in the way is that smartphones are always on devices, and almost constantly carried. While workforces don’t have an issue having a laptop dedicated for their working life, and potentially a second laptop or other computer for their personal time, having to tote around two phones is not something that is going to be acceptable to the regular modern worker. The smartphone is an incredibly personal device, and that doesn’t match up to the demand of a locked down, totally secure corporate device. How that problem is dealt with – more than a smooth rollout and remote device management – I think is more important than making it easy for the IT crowd.
I’m also wondering why Microsoft have taken the keynote at CTIA and heavily pushed the enterprise area of Windows Mobile, with no counterweight announcement in the consumer space. Redmond wouldn’t be running scared of another consumer phone that’s the darling of the press in the Valley, would they?
