Apple Ramps Up SME Accounting With Sage

Sage is rolling out a new version of its small business account solution, Sage Live, and it is giving exclusive access to Apple product users.

Reports on Thursday (Feb. 11) said the new Sage Live is available only for iOS devices, meaning iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users can access the service. In its announcement, Sage said that its rollout brings small and medium-sized business owners upgraded capabilities for real-time accounting.

The collaboration is part of a broader partnership, the company noted, meaning that both Apple and Sage will continue to work together to develop small business solutions.

The launch of Sage Live for iOS also involves Sage working with Apple to help the technology giant’s SME clients understand how mobile accounting and business management solutions can help their businesses.

“Mobile and cloud technology is revolutionizing the way small and medium businesses work, giving real-time decision-making for the first time ever, reducing costs and democratizing access to business management tools,” said Sage EVP of Global Strategic Partnerships and Alliances Alan Laing in a statement.

He added that iOS is a leading platform for small business owners and will help the company progress in its enterprise mobility efforts.

“We see the future as mobile, and we’re excited to be an Apple mobility partner, which will help us get our simple and powerful accounting solutions into the hands of even more small and medium-sized business owners and help them grow and be successful,” Laing said. “In a time of seismic technological change and digital invention, we want to provide the smartest technology to reinvent and simplify business accounting.”

Apple working with a cloud-based business service provider like Sage may not come as a surprise to some analysts. Reports earlier this week signaled Apple’s plans to potentially enter the competitive realm of enterprise cloud services, a move that would place the company squarely against firms like Amazon and Microsoft.