When you and your colleagues have an iPhone or an iPad in your hands, you effectively have access to one of the most versatile, powerful and sophisticated mobile devices yet designed. The possibilities that Apple’s mobile devices open up to the modern workforce are enormous in terms of connectivity, mobility and ease of use. However, an iPhone or iPad is a little like a hammer - until it has nails to hit - or in the iOS case apps to use - its usefulness is limited.
There is an enormous range of productivity apps in the iTunes store which promise to make you, your colleagues and your business more effective. From classic productivity suites to CRMs to notebooks and beyond, they count into the thousands. However, the quantity of tools out there is almost off-putting; and deciding which ones you and your company need, and which will simply sit unused somewhere within the OS is a major task.
Of course, the range of apps available demonstrates just how varied and diverse the needs of modern organizations are. That said, we’ve put together a list of tools which we think almost any company could use to boost their productivity. Some of these tools are fairly obvious - these are the must-downloads for any new user, others are slightly less predictable yet highly innovative.
1. Microsoft Office apps
The Microsoft Office apps - Word, Excel and PowerPoint - are all available to download from the iTunes store and have been configured to function perfectly on iOS. Probably the world’s most successful and widely used productivity suite, Office needs little introduction. While slightly limited by screen size in comparison to their desktop equivalents, the apps are still highly functional and let you do most of the things you’d ever want to do. We particularly like the fact you can take a photo on your device and directly place it into a PowerPoint deck - a nice touch to help you get the most out of your gear.
Office requires iOS 7.0 or later and is optimized for iPhone 5, 6 and iPhone 6 plus.
2. OneDrive and OneDrive for Business
All the major cloud document management providers offer an app to let you store and view documents from your mobile. We’ve picked out the OneDrive brand from Microsoft here since it’s one of the most common business cloud storage providers and ties in very well with your iPhones and iPads. The services let you sync and share, as well as download documents for editing once offline.
OneDrive and OneDrive for Business require iOS 7.0 and iOS 6.0 respectively and are optimized for iPhone 5 and upwards. It’s also worth noting that at present Microsoft recommend Apple users whose company have an Office 365 or SharePoint Online business plan download OneDrive for best performance.
3. SharePlus
SharePoint and Office 365 are amazing platforms when deployed on the desktop. However, for the modern mobile workforce, tools like SharePlus allow users to get the best out of their mobile device while using these state of the art platforms. Users have the power to access, edit and share files, lists and documents with or without connectivity. And, all this is offered with security and a sleek User Interface.
SharePlus runs on iOS 7.0 and above and is optimized for iPhone 5 and above.
4. Evernote
For years now there’s been talk of the paper-free office, yet it’s never quite materialized. Evernote, however, makes a serious case for that to finally change. The app syncs fluidly between all your devices so all the notes, checklists and research you enter into your iPad will be immediately available on your desktop, mobile and other devices.
To use Evernote you’ll need iOS 7.0 and above, and the app is optimized for iPhone 5 and beyond.
5. LinkedIn
Opportunities don’t come every day, so when one falls it’s essential you react instantly. Having LinkedIn accessible from your mobile device will let you capitalize on the vital connections which could make your career. The LinkedIn app on iPhone and iPad allows you to make and build your connections wherever you are.
LinkedIn is available on iOS 7.0 and above and is optimized for iPhone 5 and later.
6. Genius Scanner
Whether it’s a handwritten contract, a receipt for accounts or a business card, there’s always a need for a means of recording the documents your business requires. Genius Scanner makes this kind of registration instant and secure. Using your Apple device’s camera, it can scan, resize and edit pictures at high quality and allows you to share them instantaneously.
The app is optimized for iPhone 5 and works on iOS 7.0 and above.
7. Splashtop
Remote desktops have existed for a while now. However, Splashtop lets you bring this to your colleagues’ iPads which means IT can help them with any issues they’re facing while on the road.
Splashtop is currently only available on the iPad with iOS 7.0 and later.
Boost your productivity
With this range of productivity apps, companies and workers can get the most out of their hardware and, most importantly, boost their productivity. If we’ve missed that killer app which you rely on every day and makes you work better, faster and more effectively then let us know in the comments section below.
Have you already tried Infragistics SharePlus, an industry-leading native mobile SharePoint solution that keeps your teams productive on the go? Sign up for a SharePlus Enterprise demo today.