Author Archives: Matt Kapko

Apple will soon expand its enterprise roadmap thanks to a partnership that should result in the release of a new set of industry-specific iOS apps. The deal with Deloitte is designed to increase the value and appeal of Apple devices in the workplace with new specialized applications, network integrations and mobile-first processes for businesses. 

[Related: Should Apple worry about Microsoft-IBM deal]

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SAN FRANCISCO — Google has a dizzying array of names for its various of products and services. The company this week added another moniker when it rebranded its enterprise cloud business as “Google Cloud,” which now encompasses all of Google’s business cloud services. 

Google’s affinity for changing and adding new names didn’t end there. Google for Work, which is part of the new Google Cloud, received its second name change in as many years, to “G Suite.”

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

After almost two years of trials and tests, Facebook will finally launch its social platform for businesses, Facebook at Work, on October 10 in London, according to TechCrunch.com. The company also reportedly decided to make a significant price change that should generate more revenue for Facebook but at a potentially higher cost for customers. 

In December, the company said its social network for business would be free at launch and it would eventually charge for additional support, analytics and integration with enterprise collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Azure, Office 365, Google Apps, Box and Dropbox. However, Facebook now plans to charge a set amount per monthly user, according to TheInformation.com. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

SAN FRANCISCO — LinkedIn finally pulled the Lynda.com library of more than 9,000 online training courses into its main service and gave the content the prominence it’s been lacking. The move comes nearly 18 months ago after the social network acquired the training site for $1.5 billion. LinkedIn Learning is now available to all of LinkedIn’s premium subscribers. The company also plans to make the service available to enterprises, so they can give their employees access to a variety of courses and training materials.

“The dream is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce,” said LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner during a press event at the company’s new San Francisco offices. “The idea that you can acquire skills once and have a job for life, those days are over.”LinkedIn Learning is one of a few new offerings designed to create more value for LinkedIn’s users, he said.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Apple hasn’t embraced social media the way its tech rivals have, but the company appears to have warmed to the medium. Today Apple uses its @AppleSupport account on Twitter as a customer service and outreach tool, and the company also maintains Twitter accounts for some of its most popular services, including Apple Music, the App Store, iTunes and Beats1. 

Apple also finally started to use its main @Apple Twitter account in the days leading up to the iPhone 7 launch earlier this month. But things got off to a bit of a rocky start. During the company’s presentation, the company published and then immediately deleted at least three tweets to the @Apple account that revealed details and key features of the iPhone 7 — before it was officially announced.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

CMOs are nearly twice as likely as CIOs to lead digital transformation efforts within their organizations, according to new research from Altimeter Group. The top three transformative initiatives — accelerating innovation, modernizing IT infrastructure and improving operational agility — typically fall under the responsibility of IT, but a disconnect exists between the trends driving change and the individuals who lead the efforts, according to Brian Solis, principal analyst at the research and advisory firm. 

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Twitter needed a win, and it got one in a big way last Thursday night when the New York Jets beat the Buffalo Bills 37 to 31. Twitter’s NFL debut was a significant test for the beleaguered social media platform. The live broadcast didn’t experience any major hiccups and, according to the NFL and Nielsen, 2.1 million people watched the game on Twitter.

Thursday night’s game was the first of 10 matchups Twitter plans to stream throughout the remainder of the season. Twitter inked the deal with the NFL in April, and it is making a concerted effort to push further into live broadcast TV with sports, news and entertainment programming. Leading up to kickoff, the company also released new apps for streaming devices, including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Microsoft’s Xbox One, to expand its reach.  

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

Facebook at Work has been in closed beta for the last 20 months, but the world’s largest social network plans to officially push into enterprise later this year, and the company is adding features at a steady clip. Last month, for example, the team introduced group audio calling, a new call tab, a modular inbox for work chat that highlights frequent contacts and recent or unread conversations, search filters and live video.

Weber Shandwick, a well-known public relations (PR) firm with offices in 78 cities in 34 countries, was one of the first organizations to start using Facebook’s business product last year. Today, the company’s entire workforce of roughly 4,000 employees uses Facebook at Work to collaborate, share tips with interested clients, and communicate in real time. When Facebook introduced live video to the platform last month, Weber Shandwick’s CEO Andy Polansky was one of the first to use the feature for business communications.  

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here