BYOD a driving force, but not requiredThe BYOD (bring your own device) phenomenon, in which employees want to use the device of their choosing for both personal and business use, is definitely played a role in the emergence of corporate app stores.
Chris Hazelton, an analyst at 451 Research, says that corporate app stores are "basically another enabler of BYOD," where applications and data become more critical as opposed to specific devices, he says.
Of course, you don't have to support BYOD to benefit from using a corporate app store. Case in point: GE, which supports only GE-provided devices, including mainly iOS and RIM's BlackBerry, as well as some Android and Windows Mobile devices. The company is looking at BYOD options, digital media CIO Anandappa notes.
It is clear, though, that regardless of whether a company is issuing its own devices or letting users choose, the trend of companies setting up their own mobile app stores is one that is likely to skyrocket in growth. Enterprise IT has quickly moved to the world of smartphones and tablets, and app stores are going to serve as a strategic management tool.
This story, "Open for business: It's the year of the corporate app store," was originally published at InfoWorld.com. Follow the latest developments in mobile technology and consumerization of IT at InfoWorld.com. For the latest developments in business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.
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