IBM Releases 100^th IBM MobileFirst for iOS App in Partnership with Apple to Transform the Nature of Work

Made-for-business apps to embed cognitive capability

PR Newswire, ARMONK, N.Y., Dec 16, 2015
IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has delivered more than 100 IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps, as part of its partnership with Apple, to transform work across 14 industries and 65 individual professions, from wealth advisors to flight attendants, first responders, nurses and retail buyers. Additionally, the companies are expanding the portfolio to new markets including consumer products, automotive, aging and chemicals and petroleum.

Each app combines IBM’s big data and analytics capabilities with Apple’s legendary consumer experience to help companies achieve new levels of efficiency, effectiveness and customer satisfaction -- faster and easier than ever before.

Air Canada, AXA, Coca-Cola Amatil, Japan Post, and Vodafone Netherlands are among many companies worldwide selecting IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps designed for iPads and iPhones.

“We see the transformation of our customers' experience as a strategic differentiator for our insurance and financial advice business,” said Nicolas Moreau, Chairman and CEO of AXA, member of the AXA Management Committee. “We're going to combine the sleek experience of an Apple Genius Bar with the expertise of our advisors to not only give our customers the experience they want, but an experience that dramatically exceeds their expectations.”

Other clients selecting IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps include:

Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, one of the leading financial institutions in the Middle East, will fundamentally transform how it interacts and provides services for customers through a new digital innovation strategy that includes IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps. The bank will deploy the Trusted Advice app to help financial advisors easily and securely access and manage customer portfolios from iPads.

Bosch Home Appliance Group, the largest manufacturer of home appliances in Europe, is using the Fast Fix app to put powerful, analytic-based guidance in the hands of field service engineers via iPad, enabling them to resolve home appliance issues faster while improving customer satisfaction. BSH’s new mobile strategy aims to enhance customer service by connecting field service engineers with customers in real time.

SAS, the largest airline in Scandinavia, will provide its flight attendants with the Passenger+ app, allowing them to access a 360-degree view of each passenger’s past preferences, interests and purchasing decisions to deliver a more elite and personalized flying experience.

IBM MobileFirst for iOS Apps to Integrate Watson Cognitive Capabilities
IBM will integrate many future IBM MobileFirst for iOS apps with the cognitive capability of Watson, enabling the apps to continuously learn about the needs of employees and customers over time -- effectively building on data with more use.

“Our apps -- which currently represent an exclusive level of business value -- are evolving to deliver cognitive capability that refines insights to the most relevant information, enhancing the quality of decision making,” said Fred Balboni, general manager Apple partnership, IBM. “Marrying the simplicity of Apple's product design with IBM's unmatched security, analytic and cognitive expertise is the leading edge of mobile-led business transformation.”

Suites of Apps Connecting Teams of Colleagues
As the roster of industry-specific apps grows, full suites of IBM MobileFirst for iOS capabilities are taking shape to streamline job roles in healthcare facilities, financial institutions and retailers. Information can now be shared across entire teams, empowering colleagues with the ability to work collaboratively from the same set of data on their mobile devices.

IBM is also currently developing enterprise apps for iPad Pro that take advantage of the device’s expanded power, performance, larger screen size and iOS 9’s multitasking features, allowing professionals to work in two apps side-by-side at the same time. Apps with Apple Pencil support will provide added precision and functionality to tasks, including designing and laying out a room, logging transactions or annotating maintenance logs.

For more information regarding the new Apple and IBM solutions, please visit http://www.ibm.com/mobilefirstforios/ or https://www.apple.com/business/mobile-enterprise-apps/.