IBM steps up mobile efforts with new MobileFirst brand

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IBM gets serious about mobile

Mobile isn't just for consumers, and this week the granddaddy of business technology is making a renewed effort for its customers to take full advantage of it.

InfoWorld reported Thursday that IBM is bringing together a wide range of products and services aimed at helping businesses get mobilized and save money at the same time.

The new brand is called MobileFirst, and aims to help IBM's corporate customers leverage smartphones and tablets to grow revenue and become more competitive in an increasingly mobile world.

To accomplish this task, MobileFirst helps companies design and build apps used by customers along with the tools needed to create internal apps for employees.

Competitive advantage

Calling MobileFirst the "most significant mobile strategy move since the introduction of the ThinkPad," IBM plans to double its investment in mobile for 2013.

IBM feels having all of the disparate pieces under the same roof is a distinct competitive advantage over rivals like enterprise giant SAP.

The company describes MobileFirst as platform agnostic, supporting app development and device management for a full range of mobile devices running iOS, Android, Windows Phone 8 and BlackBerry OS.

Vice President for Mobility Services Arthur Chiang believes mobile should be first on the minds of IBM's customers if they want to be successful, estimating the revenue and cost-saving opportunities could total billions of dollars.

Via InfoWorld