Apple And Deloitte Form EnterpriseNext

Apple Bag Patent

Apple expands its enterprise efforts and announces a partnership with Deloitte. The two industry leaders plan to provide consultancy services to corporate clients, and Apple hopes to boost sales of its products by showing how they can be incorporated into client operations.

Apple has been pursuing other sources of revenue in recent years in anticipation of increasing competition for phone sales. As Apple’s iPhone shows signs of maturation, the company has forged a partnership with Deloitte and plans to provide consulting services to clients through an initiative called EnterpriseNext, according to Reuters.

The idea is to demonstrate how Apple products can be incorporated into corporate clients’ operations, and Deloitte will make 5,000 advisers available. CNET reported that 100,000 Deloitte employees use 75 custom apps on iPhones and iPads. CEO of Apple Tim Cook said: “IPhone and iPad are transforming how people everywhere get work done. And through this partnership, we’re able to help even more businesses tap into the incredible capabilities that only the Apple ecosystem can deliver.”

While Apple can provide the products that clients may need, Deloitte can provide expert consultants, and the team aims to transform business practices.

In 2014, Apple partnered with IBM and subsequent agreements followed with Cisco and SAP as the company broadened its enterprise ventures. According to Cook: “What’s needed now is more of a focus on transforming the enterprise and helping businesses identify which areas have the highest either return on investment or highest impact on customer satisfaction. Deloitte is well-positioned for this.”

The EnterpriseNext program will bring together customers, designers and engineers who can help clients strategize and solve problems using Apple’s operating system. Punit Renjen, CEO of Deloitte Global, said: “The intent there is to, in one location, bring the best engineers, the best products and the best thinkers to try and address clients’ problems.”

According to Cook, in 2015, Apple’s enterprise business had reached $25 billion in annual revenue. Cook would not give an updated figure on Wednesday (Sept. 28), choosing to only say: “The momentum is significant, and we see this as a very important growth vector.”