Apple’s iPhone 3G is ready to serve business customers as an alternative to the BlackBerry e-mail phone, so long as users are willing to compromise on security and battery life, the research firm Gartner said.
Software released last month adds support for Microsoft’s Exchange corporate e-mail system and offers the ability to erase data if the device is lost, making Apple’s handset “acceptable” for business use, analyst Ken Dulaney said in a report released Wednesday by Gartner.
Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs began selling the iPhone last year to consumers. The company has added business features to step up competition with Research in Motion’s BlackBerry and Palm’s Treo. About a third of Fortune 500 companies are testing the new iPhone software, Apple said.
