back to article Huge Apple news confirmed. Software deal with Accenture is official

Apple has signed up another vendor to help its iPad to the enterprise push – IT consulting and outsourcing specialist Accenture. The two companies have finalized a deal that will see Apple staff shack up in Accenture offices around the world. They'll work with the consultancy to create iOS versions of Accenture's own custom …

  1. Teiwaz

    This is how it begins

    I've often wondered how we'd get to 'The Time Machine's world of Moorlocks and Eloi.

    Management seduced by IOS while the workers are on something more practical...

    ...not sure Windows counts though

    1. AMBxx Silver badge

      Re: This is how it begins

      More likely to be just marketing fluff.

      Had similar deals at 2 software companies I used to work for. Just for powerpoint and marketing. Nothing ever really happens.

      1. A Non e-mouse Silver badge

        @AMBxx Re: This is how it begins

        More likely to be just marketing fluff.

        I agree. Cisco & Apple made a big fanfare about their tie-up a while ago. What's come out of it? Bugger all. At one customer event, I heard someone ask a Cisco employee about this, and the Cisco bod, basically, just shrugged their shoulders.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    >Based on our experience in developing mobile apps, we believe that iOS is the superior mobile platform for businesses

    Whereas those of us forced to endure IOS devices to do actual work believe its a pile of merde you are spouting.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Don't do much work then?

      Ever try using an Android device to do work?

      Always a case of "this is not the droid you are looking for...

      1. truetalk
        Linux

        Re: Don't do much work then?

        Should've bought an HTC M10 then.

      2. Alan Edwards

        Re: Don't do much work then?

        > Ever try using an Android device to do work?

        Yep. I've sat in a coffee shop in Birmingham with a Nexus 7, monitoring our incoming ServiceNow queues and doling out incidents as they come in.

        Once you persuade ServiceNow to not load the tablet interface there's not a lot you can't do, especially with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. I wouldn't want to write JavaScript on a 8-inch screen, but you could if you *really* had to.

        A Windows 10 machine with 2 gigs of RAM though? Forget it, it will spend it's life swapping bits of it's brain in and out once you've got Outlook. Skype and Chrome open.

  3. Dazed and Confused

    So what are they going to do together...

    Develop a shredder for iPads?

    1. Irnerd

      Re: So what are they going to do together...

      Well - maybe not shred - how about blend?

      http://www.willitblend.com/videos/ipad

    2. Darran Clements

      Re: So what are they going to do together...

      There already is one, it's called gravity

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: So what are they going to do together...

      Knowing Accenture, they will come up with a Very Large Report containing some vague recommendations. Thudware factor 10 is my guess.

      Followed by significant MBO-metric based Partner bonus uplifts, and a very fine luncheon. All at the client expense of course. Apple can afford it.

  4. Khaptain Silver badge

    Desk Drawer Fluff

    We have several IPads in the office that spend most of their time in desk drawers. Obviously, the demand initiated from the marketing department but even they can't find a rational use for them...

    After the "one time" usage for a Powerpoint slide that stunned absolutely nobody, they simply got fed into the desk drawer that is full of bottle openers/keychains/pens/500Mb USB keys etc....

    Apple must be struggling to enter the true enterprise market....

    1. Sandtitz Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Desk Drawer Fluff @Khaptain

      "...desk drawer that is full of bottle openers/keychains/pens/500Mb USB keys etc....

      Bottle openers, but no corkscrews? What sort of workplace is that?

      I've still got a couple 16MB Fujitsu Memorybird USB drives from ca. 2001 in my desk drawer at work. They still work and with DOS boot files I still (rarely) used them for some BIOS/firmware updates.

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Desk Drawer Fluff @Khaptain

        >but no corkscrews?

        Sorry but the Le Creuset Screwpull corkscrew I received from Microsoft for buying/using/registering Office 4.2 was far too good to have been left at the office. It has thus resided in my kitchen ever since and gets regularly used; although less frequently these days as the number of wine bottles with corks has markedly decreased.

  5. Roland6 Silver badge

    Accenture doesn't have the skills!?

    Let us understand this correctly, the iOS platform has been around since 2007 for the iPhone and 2010 for iPad. In that time many enterprise applications have either been ported to the platform or had versions "built from the ground up to work with ... iOS". Yet in all that time Accenture has been unable to " create iOS versions of Accenture's own custom applications and systems for their clients" - Wow what an admission of failure by Accenture!!!!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Accenture doesn't have the skills!?

      Well its probably more like, Accenture didnt / doesnt see any reason to write it for iOS, but apple has given them say $100m so that they can write it for them. Accenture then just says OK, you do the work and give us the money. In return Apple gets an app they hope will help get them in to the enterprise sector as they need a new revenue source, as the consumer market for ipads is drying up.

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Accenture doesn't have the skills!?

        >Accenture didnt / doesnt see any reason to write it for iOS,

        That begs the second question - just what are these 'applications'.

        From my experience of the big five, I'm a little lost to identify any application (that you would give to a client) that wasn't built on top of MS Office (ie. either macro's or Office VBA) or some other enterprise application platform. Okay way back a couple had business grade Project Management applications, but then with the growth of third-party tools, these were disposed of.

        This leaves the executive dashboard - popularised in the late 1990's, which is really just a custom integration of feeds, which can be readily achieved using the appropriate framework tools/applications.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    I don't understand...

    Accenture are up there with CSC, Wipro, HPE and... well all of them, for complete shitness. Why would Apple have anything to do with them?

    1. macjules

      Re: I don't understand...

      My thoughts exactly. It must be something to do with:

      "By combining Accenture's vast digital capabilities and industry expertise with Apple's market leadership in creating products that delight customers, we are in a perfect position to help our clients transform the way they work"

      TRANSLATION:

      Umm, we really have not got an idea of what we are doing so, hey, let's give Apple some cash and see what they can do.

      Only hope they can get a refund when they realise that Ive is still stuck in 2007.

    2. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

      Re: I don't understand...

      "Why would Apple have anything to do with them?"

      Money.

      Next question?

  7. RudderLessIT
    Paris Hilton

    But what will change?

    How many times have you seen work colleagues bring their shiny new iPad to a meeting and diligently start taking notes (it was evernote, now it's often onenote) and sure enough, a couple of weeks later, the iPad is no longer around (it's usually in the possession of their kids).

    Even Microsoft releasing office apps for everything imaginable hasn't changed this.

    1. Korev Silver badge

      Re: But what will change?

      MS making an Office 365 subscription mandatory for using the apps on an iPad Pro probably puts off businesses too

  8. Adam 1
    1. davemcwish
      Coat

      El Reg finally received an invite to WWDC?

      No. Kieran's coat still doesn't have an Apple invite.

  9. John Smith 19 Gold badge
    Coat

    Mfg of highest priced x86 based tablet on planet hook up with one of worlds biggest con-sultants

    Purpose?

    Profit. What else.

    1. Vince

      Re: Mfg of highest priced x86 based tablet on planet hook up with one of worlds biggest con-sultants

      The deal was with Apple, not Microsoft. Apple don’t make any x86 tablets.

  10. chivo243 Silver badge

    I have to agree

    I was issued an iPad, and I use it for language lessons and blackjack, haven't found a way to use it with hookers,

    Bender or should I say Blender?

  11. Long John Brass
    Big Brother

    Coventry

    So exactly what does an Apple employee have to do to get sent to Accenture?

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bad idea

    Well that's all Apple's IP winging it's way to India...

  13. Chronos
    Coat

    News everybody was waiting for.

    Yep, I'll sleep tonight. </sarcasm>

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: News everybody was waiting for.

      Indeed. THANK GOD APPLE'S FORTUNES ARE SAFE. AKA The Obtuse partners with The Inept

      ...we have all been so very worried.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Requirements

    - Here you go, customer your new shiny app, just as you asked

    - How do I log in to it?

    - That wasn't in the requirements, £10m please

  15. FozzyBear

    That's the announcement everyone's been waiting for, right?

    I would have more impressed if some redneck sighted Steve Jobs alive and well and working at some truck stop

  16. ecofeco Silver badge
    FAIL

    Ass-enture

    Oh god. Why?!

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