As anyone that uses a smartphone or tablet can tell you, it's the applications that make the devices so much fun. From gaming to business productivity to several other categories, the right combination of programs can turn a mobile device into just about anything. This is one of the reasons Apple has been able to stay on top of the market.
Created in July of 2008, Apple's app store has had seen 40 billion programs downloaded on to users' mobile devices, with over half of them coming in 2012. While those numbers are impressive, there is another side of the application center that is more important.
According to Wall Street Journal columnist Walter Mossberg, it has been Apple's ability to get the "good" apps – even those from their competition – that makes the company a leader.
"Apple tightly controls its software and hardware, and is fiercely competitive in battling its rivals, especially in the mobile market," wrote Mossberg. "And yet, while the company never creates apps for anyone else's mobile system or device, each of its major mobile-platform foes – Google, Amazon and Microsoft – make many of their apps available for Apple devices. That makes those devices the sort of Switzerlands of the mobile world."
He adds that Apple's core applications – Siri, iMessage, FaceTime, among others – are not available on devices created outside of the company. However, first-class versions of competitors' official apps like Google Maps, Microsoft Office and Amazon Kindle are available for the iOS platform.
It is reasons like this that many companies are turning toward iPad deployment as a way to improve business strategy, productivity and profitability. With the help of an IT consulting firm that is familiar with a Mac integration, executives can be sure they the process goes smoothly.
