IT Week Staff

The news that AT&T in the US is to offer Apple's iPhone with tariffs tailored for business users has yet again sparked speculation over the device, and whether it will prove a hit with enterprise buyers if more carriers were to package it as a business phone.

Look beyond the hype, however, and it is difficult to see why enterprise customers would be interested in the iPhone. With no keyboard, no 3G mobile network compatibility and no support for corporate email systems, Apple's product is a poor rival for the BlackBerry. The fact that it doubles as an iPod music player is also unlikely to endear it to administrators.

While Apple's user interface and Safari browser make the iPhone easy to use, these are elements that can easily be added to other products. Opera's Opera Mini browser, for example, offers a full web experience on many handsets and is a free download.

Conversely, the iPhone is largely limited to web-based applications, at least until Apple releases an SDK for the device.

Then there's the fact that the iPhone is costly compared with other handsets. So while it is possible that a UK operator might follow AT&T, how many businesses would buy it?

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