Microsoft considering Office functionality for iPhone

The fanboy Apple/Microsoft debate may rage on, but don’t doubt that both companies are viewing the iPhone as a big profit opportunity. Fortune has been talking to the Specialized Devices and Applications Group at Microsoft, who are responsible for Mac-friendly software like Office for OS X, and the team there are keen to stress that they’re seeing the coveted Apple cellphone as a prospective platform.

How iPhone Touched the Gadget Industry

Touch-screens have been around for years, but gadget-makers have begun putting them into more and more devices. The iPhone played a big part in the trend by incorporating its multi-touch technology in a smartphone. It's not just handsets that are getting into the act, however. Cameras, gaming units and tablet PCs are only a few of the categories in which touch is growing in presence.

iPhone Wins Bronze in Global Smartphone Race

The iPhone's shortcut to success is consistent with Apple's approach to novice-friendly technology, said Ramon Llamas, an analyst with IDC. "Coming in as a newcomer, Apple already had a lot of great things going for it. Apple is all about simplicity when it comes to hardware and software. Look at their Macs and iPods -- simplicity is built in their DNA. It was just a matter of pushing that to the iPhone line."

Mac Bloggers Update OS X, Upgrade Apple TV, Ponder Missing iPhones

"The new version of Apple TV makes the device somewhat more appealing to the small group of people who already do a lot of video on iTunes. It's not a large group, and at this price, most of them could just as easily turn to their cable video on demand system to watch movies," James McQuivey, a vice president of research and analyst for Forrester, told MacNewsWorld

The Enterprise and the iPhone

The new business-oriented features Apple unveiled recently will no doubt enhance the iPhone's allure for the corporate crowd, but there's no guarantee they'll win over die-hard BlackBerry fans. RIM has established itself as the supplier of choice in the corporate environment and has even started making inroads among consumers.