What are Mobile Platforms?
A mobile platform is a combination of middleware and development tools that helps companies extend enterprise systems and information to mobile employees by using the most appropriate combination of hardware, networks and mobile software.
ANY ENTERPRISE SYSTEM
Whether you have a large enterprise-wide software package, a smaller domain-specific system or a home-grown database-driven application, a mobile platform can help you extend its data and functionality to mobile devices. The best mobile platforms can even integrate with multiple systems at once, allowing you to create composite applications.
ANY NETWORK
Mobile platforms usually support multiple communication methods. From docking cradle to cellular to WiMax, mobile platform solutions can use any form of connectivity that makes sense for your business. Best of all, a single application can often use several networks interchangeably, giving you the ultimate in speed, availability and cost-effectiveness.
ANY DEVICE
Instead of creating and deploying mobile applications for a single device or operating system, mobile platform solutions allow you to mix and match device types and models to achieve the best in functionality, cost and flexibility.
Enterprise Mobility Approach is Changing
The emergence and proliferation of mobile platform technology in recent years is in great part the result of an urgent need to drive efficiency, cut costs and improve productivity. The rapidly changing global economic climate and increased competition in all industries – from manufacturing to healthcare to high-tech – is driving companies to consider their resources and infrastructure more holistically. More and more organizations are now taking a long-term, strategic approach to mobile solutions and are deploying systems that are extensible, scalable and flexible in meeting their objectives over the long term.
Consider how enterprises' approach to mobility has changed over the past decade:
| Tactical | Strategic | |
| Custom, single-device application |  |
Configurable, device-agnostic application |
| Multiple applications for different back-end systems | |
A single composite application accesses multiple systems |
| Code/labor-intensive development | |
Model driven and object-oriented development |
| High cost of ownership | |
Lower cost of ownership over multiple applications |
| Each department/functional area picks or develops its own mobile tools | |
A strategic framework is used throughout the organization for best reliability and security, quicker rollout, and lower overall cost |