AT&T’s MEAP Helps Enterprises Extend Critical Business Apps to Devices

AT&T just announced that it is offering a managed version of its Mobile Enterprise Application Platform (MEAP), which enables enterprises to offer applications across a range of devices, including PCs, smartphones and tablets.

For those interested, MEAPs address some of the difficulties of developing mobile software by managing the diversity of devices, networks and user groups at the time of deployment and throughout the mobile solution’s lifecycle, providing a long-term approach to deploying mobility.

Cross-platform or device considerations – specifically when you consider the fragmentation present across the mobile industry – is one of the big drivers behind using MEAPs. For example, a company can use a MEAP to develop the mobile application once and deploy it to a variety of mobile devices (including smart phones, tablets, notebooks and ruggedized handhelds) with no changes to the underlying business logic. However, testing, customization and monitoring are still required.

According to Gartner, using a common mobility platform like a MEAP brings considerable savings and strategic advantages in this situation, especially with the Rule of Three:

1. Support three or more mobile applications
2. Support three or more mobile operating systems (OS)
3. Integrate with at least three back-end data sources

The new enterprise challenge in 2011: Android Botox?

In 2011 Google will become, or remain depending on whether you believe Canalys or Nielsen, the dominant smartphone operating system. Although noteworthy on its own, the point that really interests me is that this will likely be achieved by growth in the enterprise and not consumer market.

As pointed out in a previous post, the popularity of the Blackberry device is gradually receding and opening up space for the iPhone and Android handsets. Jason Perlow of ZDNET points out in a recent column that, in the short term at least, that large, medium and small IT environments will find executives and employees asking for iPhones and iPad. But this is set to change, especially in large organizations.

This is for two main reasons. Firstly, there are the logistical challenges of deploying and developing applications on Android versus the iPhone. Secondly, the ability to partition personal data from corporate data will be essential in the “bring your own” culture which we see growing amongst our own customers.

The mobile enterprise market is clearly a key focus of 2011, having seen both AT&T and T-Mobile USA staking their claims in this space in recent interviews.

So, in 2011 will we be seeing the  “Android Botox”? Let me know in the comments below.