FeatureUC&C24 Jul 2017 · 3 min read

Collaboration Courtship: Are Cisco and Apple Tying the Knot?

Cisco and Apple recently confirmed that they would be working together even more closely on some new and exciting projects.

Rebekah Carter

Something exciting is happening in the UC world. Cisco and Apple are giving truth to the rumours that they'll soon be developing some brand-new opportunities, intended to transform iOS into the ultimate platform for unified collaborations and communications.

So, what exactly is going on? Well, Cisco and Apple have come together with some clever platform, software, and network cooperation to ensure a more seamless partnership. Cisco Spark integrates natively with Apple, and Cisco can also prioritise iOS video calls on bandwidth-intensive collaboration experience with "FastLane". WebEx and Cisco Spark support have also ensured that Apple is a key player in the enterprise space.

During conversations about the latest improvements, the CEO of Cisco, Chuck Robbins revealed that the business was "really excited" about the growing partnerships between Apple and Cisco. The work that the companies are doing together is all about simplifying the user experience, and Cisco noted that the responses from customers and partners have been positive so far.

Bringing Apple into the iEnterprise

Until the creation of the iPhone, Apple had a pretty minimal position in the world of enterprise communications - but that's all changed now. Various surveys confirm that more businesses are using Apple than ever before. Rowan Trollope, the general manager of IoT and Collaboration technology for Cisco, noted that more businesses are now becoming digital, mobile-centric, and software-driven. As professionals bring their own devices into the office, more than 27% of work-related calls are now made on a mobile device.

Like many of the companies that are now fixated on the world of mobile, Cisco hopes to ensure that all end-users can achieve the vast capabilities of complex enterprise desk phones, within the simple structure of a mobile device.

As a need for transformation becomes more obvious in today's business space - one of the biggest trends is defined by a move towards compliance and simplicity. In enterprise communications, the hope is that users won't need to switch apps to stay connected, which is why iOS 11 users can now join WebEx and Spark meetings directly from their Calendar notifications.

Developers will also be able to access a fresh Cisco Spark SDK for the iOS environment, which they can access to embed video and audio solutions for the apps created for Apple - using only 3 little lines of code.

But, What about Security?

Let's face it, one of the biggest concerns any modern enterprise faces today is based around the issue of security. Conversations around security concerns have moved from traditional worries about hacking and malware, to consider more complex things like phishing, data integrity, and espionage in intellectual properties.

In response to the security concern, Cisco have announced that they'll be collaborating with heavyweights in the insurance industry to help create the architecture that will assist cyber insurance providers to deliver more robust consumer policies. This is why news that Apple and Cisco are getting closer from a security perspective is so important. Together, the pair claims they can provide the most secure combination anywhere in enterprise.

Basically, if an enterprise is using Apple and Cisco together, the idea is that the combination should make the cost of insurance much cheaper than if you were using other networks and operating systems. That's a pretty big deal right now. After all, not only does it mean that enterprise communications could be more secure, it also means that as IoT moves further into the mainstream, essential communications will be made safe.

In a world of caution, this high level of security is crucial - without it, any enterprise would struggle to realise the benefit of billions of new connections.

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