IPhone with Lotus Notes: IT manager's nightmare?

Just when IT departments thought they were safe comes this report

By Matt Hamblen

January 17, 2008 12:00 PM ET

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Computerworld - IT managers who have been worrying about how to support the iPhone for their executives may want to start some serious fretting.

A report from Engadget and the Associated Press said that IBM's Lotus Notes e-mail is coming soon to the Apple Inc.'s iPhone and the iPod Touch. An announcement may occur Sunday at the start of Lotusphere.

Apple and IBM officials could not be reached for comment on the report.

This development would apparently be the first big-time third-party application since Apple said it would open the iPhone and iPod Touch to outside developers. Apple CEO Steve Jobs said in October that the software developer's kit (SDK) would not be available until next month, sometime after the presumed Lotus Notes announcement.

Many have criticized the iPhone as being less than desirable for corporate users. One of the major reasons is that the device doesn't natively support a corporate e-mail system such as Lotus Notes.

But iPhones with Notes, which has a large share of the e-mail market, would give business users another reason to bang on the door of their employer's IT support team to insist on having the popular device as a standard.

Engadget said IBM is also planning to announce its free Lotus Symphony for the Mac at Lotusphere.

Clarification: This story was changed since it was originally posted. It now states that Lotus Notes has a large share of the e-mail market rather than a "commanding" share and removes a reference to Notes as a "push" e-mail system.

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