After attending last week’s All About the Cloud, Satish Shenoy shared a summary about the Mobile a Must Breakout Session.
Moderator: Russell Hertzberg, Softserve
Speakers: Jan Aleman(Servoy), Roger Bottum(Spring CM), Lisa Reeves (Citrix), Nolan Wright (Appcelerator)
Key Topics Covered: Conundrum of ISVs (Mobile Web vs. Native App or both?), Local content storage, Mixing of Business and Personal more prevalent with mobility; Remotely manageable mobile devices, App Store model for Enterprise Deployment, Alternatives to Apple’s AppStore? A world beyond iPhone, iPAD, Android ?
Discussion Points:
• Classic Conundrum ISVs face – Mobile Web ? Native App ? Hybrid ?
o Half the panelists (Jan and Roger) indicated that they go mobile web (HTML 5) to allow the most flexibility and also avoid not having to code multi-platforms (Google SDK, Apple SDK, etc). The other 2 panelists (Lisa and Nolan) based on customer preference and nature of apps (highly interactive), they prefer native.
• Local content Storage an issue that will be solved?
o Jan – This can be done and we see more and more cases of this (Recent example: Inspection app for the German Railway)
o Lisa – Comes down to context. Expectation is “recent and relevant” is available on mobile devices
• Security requirements when building mobile apps for the cloud
o Roger – Security is more straightforward than you think (with local encryption, etc). It is governance that is hard
o Nolan – Last 15 years – We have moved from the Client-Server model to most mobile apps being client side with APIs in the cloud – Concept of security and where/what to security has changed drastically
Russell: What about BYOD and mixing of Business & Personal –Is this a problem? Or is there creative tension? Is there a need for resolution?
o Jan – Either you don’t store personal and business info on these devices or be ready for risk – Put everything in context
Russell – Should mobile devices have the ability to be remotely manageable/wiped if lost?
o Nolan – Matter of personal preference – especially BYOD devices
o Lisa – More and more this generation is expecting to miss work and personal
o Jan – In terms of security, I believe it is the SA ISV who is responsible for ensuring strong security in what they build
• Is the App store model extendable or even appropriate for enterprise deployment of apps in the future?
o Roger – Large organization are currently comfortable using the App Store model but I expect this to evolve
o Nolan – I second that – I see a world in which there will be 3rd party app management entities
o Lisa – There is a certain level of trust with the Apple store – but going with App Store versus not is just a series of tradeoffs
Russell – I believe the future will see a disintermediation of the Apple store concept; SPs and enterprises with private distribution – I see several alternatives evolving over a period of time.
Audience Q – You speak a lot about iPhone, iPAD, Android – What about Windows Mobile, Samsung., etc ?
o Russell – We are doing some work for Microsoft Mobile
o Jan – Android is going to be very cost effective. Microsoft should just kill their mobile platform and go make Azure better !
o Lisa – Purely customer preference but I am not counting on Microsoft
Heard at the session (Interesting Quotes):
• “If all information is set free, security becomes a secondary issue” Jan Aleman
• “45% of Enterprise CEOs use IPAD and the older demographic among them is using it much more than the younger group” Roger Bottum
• “With more mobility, the current generation (Gen Y) has a clear expectation of mixing personal and work in their devices” Lisa Reeves
• “If you use a traditional development cycle anymore, you are dead” Lisa Reeves