We all remember the "I'm a Mac, and I'm a PC " commercials that ran from 2006 through 2009. They created the idea that Apple hardware and software was designed for the creative types and having fun, while the PC was the stuffy system needed for work. While it helped push the younger generation to look into the iMac and MacBook line, there was not much focus on the enterprise.
If your computing needs are spreadsheets, word documents and some of the more boring but critical uses, the PC can a better choice. This was because the ads focused more on making podcasts, movies, photos or listening to music. Later versions focused on viruses and mistakes within the Windows operating system.
Over the last few years, Apple has taken up a bigger push to show the potential of the Mac in the enterprise. Aside from specific price points and services that are only for corporate customers, each Apple retail store has a completely flushed out business sales team that specializes in implementing Apple products into the enterprise in an effective manner and supporting the unique needs of these consumers.
A recent article from ComputerWorld examined some of the more specific ways that Apple has been able to move past the image of being just for "creative types" with "shiny toys" and become a true company for the enterprise. The piece touches on iOS 7 and Mac OS X Mavericks improvements that were made just for businesses, the growing demand from companies and how the hardware has upgraded.
The article also covers how the database creation application FileMaker has become a key component to Apple's rise in the enterprise. The tech giant has owned FileMaker since the 1980s, and the technology has performed well from the beginning.
The latest version of the technology, FileMaker 13, came packed with some of the largest improvements to the database solution that is used by millions of consumers yearly. The piece said that there was some disappointment around FileMaker 12 because of a file format change to modernize the code. However, the new version takes this change and expands upon it to boost developer productivity when designing database-driven solutions for PCs, Macs, mobile devices and the Web.
One example of this is the improvements to real-time data collection and the ability to have all systems access that information at once. While the ease-of-use is still one of the top reasons to adopt the technology, it has improved the enterprise-level security, multiple developer features and productivity enhancements that could be as simple as adding a data entry keyboard to the iOS platform.
"We've made it easier to learn and more powerful and productive for developers using it on a daily basis," FileMaker product manager, Eric Jacobson, told the news source.
FileMaker has been one of Apple's main enterprise applications. With both Pro and mobile versions (FileMaker Go), the software has evolved over nearly 30 years to be a key system not only for Apple but also for many businesses. For companies that are looking for FileMaker help, a local software developer that specializes in the service can become a valuable solution provider to fully embrace the technology.