Hitachi, NEC lead 70-strong coalition pitching iPad, iPhone for the business crowd

[![iPad 2012 review][1] ][2]

The Japanese must have more of a [thing for Apple][3] than we thought. A group of 70 local companies, led by heavyweights such as [Hitachi][4] and [NEC][5], wants to spur iPad and iPhone app development for the corporate world. Along with helping to get the apps built in the first place, the alliance could help spread the work abroad. Members have even said they'll press Apple to get more information for writing business apps, although we wish them the best of success on that front -- Apple [isn't exactly known][6] for letting developers learn _more_ about iOS' inner workings. With as many as 600 members joining over time, the coalition's success could shake up a Japanese suit-and-tie culture led by domestic cellphones and PCs. There also wouldn't be any shortage of irony from NEC partnering to support a platform that undermines [its own tablets][7].

[Hitachi, NEC lead 70-strong coalition pitching iPad, iPhone for the business crowd][2] originally appeared on [Engadget][8] on Wed, 20 Jun 2012 06:37:00 EDT. Please see our [terms for use of feeds][9].

######

[Permalink][10] ![][11][The Verge][12] | ![source][13][Nikkei][14] | [Email this][15] | [Comments][16]

[1]: http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/03/leaddsc09252.jpg
[2]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/hitachi-nec-lead-70-strong-coalition-pitching-ios-for-work/
[3]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/10/iphone-was-bestselling-japan-smartphone-in-2011/
[4]: http://www.engadget.com/tag/Hitachi/
[5]: http://www.engadget.com/tag/NEC/
[6]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/09/apple-alternative-to-udid-may-come-soon-track-app-use/
[7]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/nec-lifetouch-l-unveiled-android-4-0-tablet-keeps-it-thin-and-l/
[8]: http://www.engadget.com
[9]: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/
[10]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/hitachi-nec-lead-70-strong-coalition-pitching-ios-for-work/ (Permanent link to this entry)
[11]: http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/post_label_VIA.gif
[12]: http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/19/3095879/hitachi-nec-ios-consortium-enterprise-software
[13]: http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/post_label_source.gif
[14]: http://e.nikkei.com/e/ac/tnks/Nni20120618D1806A13.htm
[15]: http://www.engadget.com/forward/20261799/ (Send this entry to a friend via email)
[16]: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/hitachi-nec-lead-70-strong-coalition-pitching-ios-for-work/#comments (View reader comments on this entry)

URL: http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/20/hitachi-nec-lead-70-strong-coalition-pitching-ios-for-work/