Is iOS Right for Your Business?

History

The iPhone was the first smartphone to be prevalent among the general population.  With the original version being released in 1997, Apple has produced one of the world’s most popular smartphones.  It’s fueled by the operating system iOS, created to be in adherence with Apple’s design language of simplicity and functionality.  How does this all translate into figuring out if this is the phone for you?

Pros

If you’re looking for a device that just works with little effort on your part, then the iPhone is for you.  There’s no shortage of apps when it comes to this smartphone.  If a company develops an app, there’s a great chance that it will either a) be released for the iPhone first or b) solely be released for the iPhone. From a business perspective, you’ll be able to find the right apps for the necessary task at hand.  Generating invoices, taking voice notes, video conferencing and more can all be done from the palm of your hand.  Not only are the downloadable apps great, but the built-in applications that come on the device are very noteworthy as well.  This plethora of software is accompanied by elegant hardware.

The hardware used to build the iPhone speaks volumes of the high quality material it’s made out of.  It’s consistently one of the best looking phones every year, feels great in your hands, and has a premium persona that is immediately apparent.  This attention to detail is why the iPhone also has one of, if not the best, cameras available on a smartphone.  If taking pictures is a prominent need in your business, there are very few phones that can offer the superb image quality that the iPhone is capable of producing.

Another tremendous benefit of the iPhone is available support.  If you’re having hardware issues with your device, rather than taking it to a cell phone provider, you can take it to an Apple store and they’ll get you squared away.  Additionally, there is a great deal of accessories available in stores and online thanks to there only being one type of iPhone design released every two years.

Cons

Other than changing wallpapers, it is relatively unfeasible to make your phone look different from anyone else’s.  Except for the upcoming version, iOS has relatively looked the same for the last 5 years. Apple restricts the ability of the user to make certain choices to the operating system so what you see is what you get.  For instance, if you would rather have another browser open every time a link is clicked as opposed to the default Safari browser than you’re out of luck.  The iPhone will open up Safari every time, forcing you to copy and paste links.  This same default behavior occurs with other applications such as Maps.

If you’re looking for a smartphone that not only aids in running your business, but provides customization options so that the device feels unique to you and encompasses your individual style, then you may want to look elsewhere.   The absence of customization also follows suit for the hardware.  If you prefer to have more than one button to move back and forth through apps, open menus, switch tasks and more, unfortunately you’re out of luck. The iPhone uses one button to do everything and only comes in one model, thus eliminating your ability to obtain a phone that has iOS but varies in screen size and form factors.