Is the iPhone Ready for Your Business?

People often talk about what the iPhone can do for business, but they don’t always mention the possible problems. The iPhone is generally ready for business use, but you should be aware of a few things.

The Gotchas

If you use EDGE and have push email turned on, you could miss calls. This problem only happens with EDGE, not 3G. If you’re on EDGE, try setting your email to fetch on a schedule instead.

Antivirus settings on your Exchange server can cause issues. If antivirus is installed but background scanning is turned off, ActiveSync devices won’t receive messages. This affects all ActiveSync devices, not just iPhones. See Microsoft KB article 827615 for how to fix it.

Syncing your calendar with Exchange 2003 can be unreliable, and some appointments might not sync right. Exchange 2007 does a much better job. If your company still uses 2003, expect some calendar problems.

Why It Works

Emails appear with the correct formatting and images, so you see them as intended, not just as plain text.

You can easily open and read attachments like Excel, Word, and PDF files. They look clear, which wasn’t possible on older phones.

There are helpful business apps for time tracking, invoicing, and credit card payments. For example, Intuit Billing Manager is available, but it doesn’t sync with QuickBooks, which can be frustrating.

The Verdict

The iPhone can work well for business if your company’s systems are set up for it. Use Exchange 2007 or newer, and make sure your IT team understands ActiveSync. Overall, I think it’s a smart investment.