Apple gets into SAAS

As the iPhone continues to expand its sales, a couple of things are beginning become apparent. First, users, especially business users, really like the web browser functionality of the device. Second, mobile phone competitors won't let iPhone have this definite advantage for very long. Considering that the iPhone has such a hefty price tag, it shouldn't take too long for some of the main features, including better web browsing to make their way to lower market devices.

This is where SAAS comes in. Software As A Service allows users to use software that isn't installed locally on the computer. Salesforce.com basically pioneered SAAS by allowing businesses to keep their sales information online. It took a long time for Salesforce to convince businesses that their confidential data was safe and that the software was top notch. As more and more people go from having a home desktop or laptop plus a mobile phone with full internet capabilities, the need to have access to information on the go will increase. Already there are companies altering their website code to run smoothly with Apple's Safari browser. If phone OEMs are smart, they will form a partnership with Mozilla and put a modified version of Firefox on their devices. Seeing as how there are some versions of Firefox small enough to run off of USB drives, it should not be a large ordeal to have it be the standard in mobile phones.

In the end, all of these possibilities mean that sites that offer online solutions instead of download and install software will get a boost. Imagine if Intuit, makers of Quicken, offered a secure, online service you could access right after you made a purchase to keep your account information up to the minute instead of stacking receipts and waiting to get home. Or if a mobile blogger could take a digital picture or video and post it right on the spot instead of having to first move it to a laptop and find a wireless connection.

Whether or not the iPhone will come to dominate the market is yet to be seen. However, SAAS providers should already be making a move to accommodate the influx of possible users once the competition against the iPhone ramps up.