Sybase touts enterprise email for iPhone

Sybase is hoping to woo business users by offering wireless email support for Apple's iPhone as part of its Information Anywhere (iAnywhere) software suite.

Information Anywhere will allow enterprises to deliver Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange enterprise email to iPhone users.

Sybase claims that iAnywhere reduces potential security concerns as it does not require enterprises to enable IMAP in their Lotus Domino or Microsoft Exchange environments.

The system will also provide IT departments with the ability to minimise security risks by filtering attachments.

Information Anywhere includes support for personal information management, including corporate directory look-up. Offline email access is offered rather than browser-based email support.

Sybase iAnywhere supports more than 230 Windows Mobile, Symbian and Palm-based devices, according to the company.

"With millions of iPhones sold in recent months, IT organisations have to manage the influx of personal devices coming 'in the back door' without compromising enterprise security policies," said Mark Willnerd, vice president at Sybase iAnywhere.

"Information Anywhere allows businesses to be proactive in adding the iPhone as a supported device, along with other mobile operating systems, for secure corporate email use."

Analyst firm IDC believes that making enterprise wireless email available on the iPhone will bring it one step closer to being used as a trusted enterprise device.

"Although IDC sees strong desire for consumers to use the iPhone in corporate settings, it will require an innovative approach to satisfy the data protection concerns of IT while leveraging the richness of the native Apple iPhone client, " said Stephen Drake, programme director for mobile enterprise programmes at IDC.

However, iPhone users will have to wait until the first half of 2008 when support for the platform will be formally launched.