Finally recognizing the iPad and iPhone as important business tools, Apple has started a new volume purchasing program for businesses.
[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]The Volume Purchase Program lets companies buy apps for iOS devices used by their employees through a corporate credit card or procurement card. Companies interested in the program need to enroll, and need to have a Dun & Bradstreet number.
Companies enrolling in the program are then able to buy volume licenses to apps, for which they receive redemption codes to authorize the app downloads. Documentation provided by Apple tracks when the codes are redeemed.
The Volume Purchase Program also provides a way for businesses to get Business to Business (B2B) apps created by third-party developers. More details, including a downloadable PDF explaining how the program works, are available from Apple.
This should make businesses happy, I figure it’s something they’ve wanted for a long time.
My question is if this is like the education program. Because under that program a developer has to agree to allow volume purchasing deals. Which means there is always the chance that the app you want you can’t get.
I think “finally recognizing” is way too strong. Businesses have for a long time been able to develop and deploy their own custom iOS apps. iOS v4 enabled them to deploy wirelessly. iPhones can also be managed with key corporate tools. All that has happened here is now the custom apps can be developed by a 3rd party. The apps we are talking about are extremely specific to a particular business. We’re talking about for example an app that a Ford salesperson would use to look up all models and available options as they speak to a customer. That app would not be useful to anyone outside Ford. Previously, Ford would have to develop that app in-house. Now, they can contract it out and simply buy the app in volume from the developer.
The idea that Apple is business-averse is a canard. They are very happy, for example, that Genentech, the largest biotech company in the world, won’t buy a PC or phone that isn’t made by Apple. What Apple doesn’t do is waste their limited time pleading with former MCSE CTO’s to buy Macs because that is pointless. Those CTO’s are making irrational “nobody gets fired for buying IBM/Microsoft” decisions and they won’t be swayed by better uptime, ease of use, lower training costs, lower software costs. That is why iPads are getting into business via actual workers, who do care about ease of use and productivity and the core business.