Apple Rolls Out AppleCare for Enterprise With IBM’s Support

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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) partnership launched this week, when the former posted a page on its website describing the “AppleCare for Enterprise” program. Earlier this year, the two companies entered into an agreement with a focus on the enterprise customers.

More options for enterprises

AppleCare for Enterprise seems to be a decent safety net for the organizations deploying Apple products. The feature will offer “personal liaison” as well as round the clock phone support to the companies subscribing to it. Enterprises are also given the option of subscribing the hardware service offered by IBM Global Technology Services for either two or three years.

The businesses will also be eligible for a free replacement “up to 10%” of covered iOS devices. This means that if one out of 10 employees in the organization need a new iPhone or an iPad, it can be replaced without paying anything extra.

Both companies have kept a low profile after the initial announcement, but IBM is working on business-focused iOS apps called “IBM MobileFirst,” which is expected to be announced before the end of the year.

Apple-IBM synergy

According to the earlier announcement, the iPhone maker and IBM will jointly build more than 100 exclusive industry-specific apps largely for iPads and iPhones. With the deal, IBM gets the “cool” factor as well as rolling over its analytics and data platforms, technologies and services to Apple users in business, finance, healthcare, telecommunications and other areas. Some of the apps will be launched this year, while others are scheduled for next year.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and IBM have come together to bring service, support and mobile device management. Apple will be able to access the enterprise market with the support of IBM, and IBM it will see its mobile efforts move ahead with the backing of Apple. The deal makes sense as IBM has not launched any PC or mobile device in almost a decade, whereas Apple is dedicated to offering enterprise services through the iPhone or iPads.

Analysts see the deal between the companies as interesting and holding significant potential. Previously, Jefferies analyst Sundeep Bajikar and Mark Lipacis noted in a report that the Apple-IBM partnership could add 42 million new users for Apple that could produce billions in iPhone and iPad sales.

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