Apple is bolstering its growing business with corporate IT customers through a new partnership with Deloitte, as the iPhone maker moves to capitalise on BlackBerry’s withdrawal from the smartphone market.
“The real opportunity for us is expanding how [mobile] devices are used,” said Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, in an interview, “so that they are used for more than email, browsing, messaging and calendaring, and really getting at how people work.”
As part of the deal, Deloitte will create a “first-of-its-kind” practice focused on Apple products staffed by more than 5,000 strategic advisers, to deploy iPhones and iPads in situations from inventory management to retail stores. The two companies will also create a new consulting unit, EnterpriseNext, to help Deloitte clients more rapidly prototype custom services across more than 20 industries.