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The highly anticipated, newly redesigned iPhone 4 is now available from TELUS. With its glass and stainless steel enclosure, the iPhone 4 is full of cutting-edge features that will keep you connected on Canada’s fastest mobile network.

But what does the iPhone 4 mean for business? To help work through all of the available information, here is my top 5 list of iPhone 4 features business should be aware of:

1 - Size and form factor

The most obvious change to the latest iPhone is the new design. It’s simply beautiful and, like previous generations, feels solid in your hand. The front and back are made from the same type of glass that is used in helicopter windshields (aluminosilicate glass) which is harder, stiffer and more scratch resistant than plastic. In addition, the band is constructed from a specially forged CNC machined stainless steel. It all adds up to a sturdy and professional looking device.

I particularly appreciate the change in width and depth – it’s both thinner and flatter. If you‘re like me and often wear a suit jacket or sport coat, you will barely notice the 9.3 mm thick phone in the breast pocket.

2 - Audio quality and speakerphone

Business users appreciate the value of a good speakerphone – especially the type that doesn’t involve someone asking “are you on a speakerphone”? The problem with most speakerphones is their ability to silence background noise. The iPhone 4 offers the mobile professional an advantage.

While most wireless devices only have one microphone, the iPhone 4 has two. The main mic, located next to the dock connector on the bottom, is for voice calls, commands and memos. The second mic , which is close to the headphone jack, works in partnership with the main mic to suppress background sounds. All this means conversations will be clearer and quieter - both on and off speakerphone.

3 - Camera and video

Smartphone photo and video quality has quickly improved over the years and, in keeping with this, the iPhone 4 introduces a 5-megapixel camera and 720p HD video. These features make the iPhone 4 a viable replacement to a point and shoot camera or handheld video camera. Plus, with the vast variety of apps available, it’s easy to record, edit and share right from the phone.

The iPhone 4 also introduces a front-facing camera and an amazing video calling application called FaceTime. While connected via Wi-Fi, two iPhone 4 users can see and talk to each other real time. Not only is this a powerful person-to-person meeting and collaboration tool, it’s also great for business travelers who want to keep in touch with family members back home.

One more item to note: since the front and back of the iPhone 4 are made of flat glass, the camera lens is well protected from dirt. A simple wipe with a clean cloth is all it needs to keep clean. As regular mobile photographer, I can tell you this is a spectacular design choice.

4 - Battery life

Apple has improved battery life with the iPhone 4. Here are some of the stats:

Talk time: Up to 7 hours on 3G
Standby time: Up to 300 hours
Internet use: Up to 6 hours on 3G; up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi
Video playback: Up to 10 hours
Audio playback: Up to 40 hours

In daily business, this translates to greater freedom from the charger.

5 - iOS 4 software

iPhone 4 is nicely equipped with the latest operating system, iOS 4 (iPhone Operating System version 4). iOS 4 offers multitasking capabilities for fast app switching, the creation of folders for easy organization of applications and enhanced business features such as data encryption, mobile device management, Global Address lookup, SSL VPN support and more.

Check out our synopsis of iOS 4 here: 5 Ways Apple iOS 4 delivers for businesses

Find out more

Do you have questions about the iPhone 4 in your business? Is your business considering a switch to iPhone and don't know where to start? If so, you have two options:

Add a comment with your question below – the community will help get you the answer you need.
If you prefer a one-on-one business consultation, click the Contact link and a TELUS Business representative will contact you and share all the latest information you’ll need.

687 Views 0 Comments Permalink Tags: 10-99, 100+, 1-9, business, smartphone, iphone, apple, ios_4, iphone_4, battery, speakerphone, size, camera, hd, quality

Earlier this week, Apple launched a highly anticipated (and free) upgrade to the iPhone operating system: iOS 4. As there is already considerable discussion online about new features such as multitasking, folders and combined email boxes, let's look at the upgrade from a different perspective.

When a business has a handful of iPhones, management is generally straight forward and is handled by end users. When that number grows to the 50, 100 or even thousands, management becomes more complex and is usually handled by a centralized group. Features such as strong security, management tools and systems integration become key to implementation and upgrade decisions. Fortunately iOS 4 lays a solid foundation through a number of enhancements targeted to larger businesses.

Here are five such foundational enhancements in iOS 4 and a business overview of each:

Enhanced Security

Although Apple iPhones have always had a strong level of security and encryption, iOS 4 takes it to the next level for businesses. A new Data Protection feature enhances the built-in hardware encryption to further protect email messages and attachments by using the device passcode as an encryption key (further details are available on the Apple Support site). New data protection API's can also be used by third-party apps to improve security.

Mobile Device Management

iOS 4, along with new Mobile Device Management protocols and appropriate management software, helps businesses manage their iPhone fleet more efficiently. The foundation has been set for companies to remotely (wirelessly) manage their iPhone configuration, policies, compliance, applications and even lock or wipe a specific device.

Wireless App Distribution

To date, there are two main ways to get applications on an iPhone: Through the App Store on the iPhone or via iTunes on a Mac or PC. But what if a business wants to push out, update or remove an application for a fleet of iPhone users? The upgrade to iOS 4 lays the foundation for such interaction to occur wirelessly – no physical connections/cables required. The option for in-house developed applications is also available.

VPN enhancements

SSL VPN support in iPhone OS 4 adds to the existing VPN support already available on the iPhone. The new SSL VPN protocols can now be leveraged to connect more seamlessly to securely connect to a corporate network.

Multiple Exchange accounts

Microsoft Exchange is the mail, calendar and contact management solution of choice for many businesses, however the iPhone has long been limited to only one mailbox per phone. This presented a challenge for many mobile professionals who need to monitor multiple accounts for messages. Fortunately iOS 4 has enabled multiple accounts and users who upgrade can take advantage of this feature immediately.

Also of note, iOS is now compatible with Exchange 2010. As a result, businesses that plan to upgrade can be confident that their iPhone users with iOS 4 can continue to receive and manage their mail accounts.

Interested in more?

Do you have a specific question on how your company can better manage an iPhone fleet recently upgraded to iOS 4? Is your business considering a switch to iPhone and don't know where to start? If so, you have two options:

Add a comment with your question below. Not only will you be able to tap into the experience of hundreds of other business professionals who are members of TELUS Talks Business, the team behind the scenes will bring in experts where appropriate to get you the best available answer.
If you prefer a one-on-one consultation, click the Contact link above and provide us with a way to get in touch with you. Yes, the person will be a sales professional, but they're friendly and don't bite! Promise.

Even if you don't have a question, we would love to hear your thoughts on iOS 4 for business through a comment below.

817 Views 3 Comments Permalink Tags: strategy, 10-99, 100+, 1-9, business, app, iphone, ios, ios_4, mobile_management

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iPhone 4 for Business