Microsoft slams iPhone as 'irrelevant'

Apple's soon-to-be-launched iPhone will be irrelevant to business users because it is a "closed device" and does not support Microsoft Office, a senior executive with the software giant said this week.

"It's a great music phone, and I'm sure it will be fantastic and have an interesting user interface," Microsoft's Asia-Pacific head of smartphone strategy Chris Sorenson told press during a recent visit to Australia. A Microsoft Executive Chris Sorenson says Apple's iPhone is an irrelevant device as far as business users are concerned because it doesn't support Office documents. iPhone is a closed device cannot install any outside applications especially for business users and one cannot use iPhone as a messaging device like Blackberry and Smartphones. There are currently more than one hundred and forty phone models that use Microsoft Windows Mobile Operating system. Currently it is one of the top operating system used in the converged device market (use of e-mails, office applications on handheld devices besides the phone feature). There are other operating systems such as Nokia's Symbian OS, RIM's BlackBerry OS, and Palm OS. Soon Apple will make a dent in this converged device market, it won't happen with this iPhone release but it will be in the future with advanced devices from Apple. Sorenson says, since Apple's iPhone has limited features compared to Windows Mobile Operating Systems devices, iPhone won't make an impact in the corporate market. They may shine in consumer market but not in corporate, where the users want to add various applications for their businesses which iPhone lacks. While the iPhone will focus on integrating phone, Internet browsing and iPod features, WM6 adds enterprise-targeted features such as better synchronization of data between mobile devices and office servers. Microsoft is upgrading its windows mobile operating system to WM6 version, Sorenson says this new system will be able to do in a mobile device just like one is able to do in desktop. iPhone never said this phone is for corporate use, it is targeting the consumer market. Apple wants to keep the device simple and easy to use. Microsoft doesn't get the idea of simplicity, once they see the success of iPhone then they will learn a lesson, till then they will keep complaining.