3 Apple Moves For Field Service Companies To Watch
By Sarah Nicastro, publisher/editor in chief, Field Technologies
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Apple will hold its latest product launch event on September 12th, 2017 and there’s plenty for you to tune in to hear about. In addition to the expected announcement of the iPhone 8, Apple has recently made a few moves that will specifically impact businesses – including field service companies like yours.
One of those moves that I am most excited to watch play out is Apple’s introduction of ARKit – the company’s framework that allows companies to create augmented reality experiences for iPhone and iPad on iOS 11. It has also been rumored that the iPhone 8 will contain an AR chip and dual cameras to further support the technology. We’ve done plenty of coverage on the opportunity for AR in field service, and it will be interesting to see how Apple’s ARKit plays a role in the expanded use of AR solutions in field service.
On Apple’s most recent financial results conference call, CEO Tim Cook expressed his excitement for the opportunity that exists with AR. “I could not be more excited about AR… As to what category it starts in, just take a look at what’s already on the web in terms of what people are doing. It’s all over the place. From entertainment to gaming I’ve seen small-business solutions, consumer solutions, enterprise solutions. I think AR is big and profound. This is one of those huge things that we’ll look back at and marvel on the start of it. There’s lots of excitement in there. It feels great to get this thing going,” he said.
Apple Partners With Accenture To Create iOS Business Solutions
Another Apple move to pay attention to is the company’s partnership with Accenture, announced today. Apple and Accenture have partnered specifically to create iOS business solutions, which could have a substantial impact on field service organizations. The release reports that “Accenture will create a dedicated iOS practice within Accenture Digital Studios in select locations around the world. Experts from Apple will be co-located with this team. Working together, the two companies will launch a new set of tools and services that help enterprise clients transform how they engage with customers using iPhone and iPad.”
Cook points out the fact that businesses have only begun to scratch the surface of how they can transform their operations using Apple products. ““Starting 10 years ago with iPhone, and then with iPad, Apple has been transforming how work gets done, yet we believe that businesses have only just begun to scratch the surface of what they can do with our products,” said Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Both Apple and Accenture are leaders in building incredible user experiences and together we can continue to truly modernize how businesses work through amazing solutions that take advantage of the incredible capabilities of Apple’s technologies.”
Finally, you’ll want to stay tuned to Apple’s upcoming announcement to see what shakes out with the Apple Watch. Rumors are that there will be a new LTE version (version 3) that will work without your iPhone nearby. While most field service organizations are working diligently to reduce calls necessary by technicians in the field, the reality is that they still happen – and the convenience of a tech being able to do so from his or her watch is compelling. There have also been rumors of Apple working on smart glasses, which could have further impact on field service organizations.
As we kick off fall with Apple’s product launch, it will be very interesting to see what impact these announcements will have on field service organizations leading into 2018.