| According to an October 2009 report from JD | | | | Kit). |
| Power and Associates, consumers ranked the | | | | Since the release of the SDK, uploads into the |
| Apple iPhone as number one for use in business. | | | | Apple store have sky-rocketed. The iPhone |
| Out of 1000 possible points, Apple received first | | | | website lists a variety of ways that it seeks to |
| place with 803 points. Blackberry came in 2nd with | | | | increase its share in the business market. One |
| 724 points. | | | | significant piece is the App store. Steve Jobs, CEO |
| The study allowed users to rank their devices | | | | of Apple, said in a statement, “The App Store |
| based on ease of operation, operating system, | | | | has reinvented what you can do with a mobile |
| features, battery life and device design. These | | | | handheld device, and our users are clearly loving |
| statistics should be of notice to those in the | | | | it.” |
| Direct Sales, Network Marketing and MLM | | | | How could the iPhone Impact the Direct Sales |
| Software industries because it indicates a change | | | | industry? |
| in the way business is conducted. | | | | JD Powers 2009 Wireless Phone Satisfaction |
| Networking is one of the standard principles in the | | | | study showed that among Business Smartphone |
| Direct Sales industry. Developing relationships and | | | | owners, more than one-half reported downloading |
| sustaining those relationships builds success in an | | | | third-party games for entertainment, while 46% |
| individual’s personal and professional life. | | | | reported downloading travel software such as |
| Smartphones, and specifically the iPhone, help | | | | maps and weather applications. |
| individuals stay connected to the world around | | | | This indicates that business users are integrating |
| them. | | | | their devices into their personal lives. In addition, |
| Users have the ability to stay in touch with people | | | | nearly one-half of owners (46%) reported |
| who are close and far away through social | | | | downloading business utility applications to increase |
| networking sites. A Smartphone can remind an | | | | productivity. |
| individual to call someone on their birthday through | | | | Crowd Science conducted a study published in |
| the phone’s calendar feature, or using the | | | | June 2009. It states that over 70% of owners of |
| internet, customers can read a tweet about the | | | | smartphones used them for both business and |
| company’s new product line as soon as it is | | | | pleasure. |
| posted. | | | | One out of every three smartphone users owns |
| Additionally, Smartphone users can easily and | | | | an iPhone. The study also conveyed that a |
| rapidly remind everyone in their downline of an | | | | whopping 82% of current iPhone users would |
| upcoming web conference or a new party | | | | purchase it again. This information would lead one |
| package. Smartphones are changing the way | | | | to believe that if iPhone can keep their satisfaction |
| Online Business is done, and the revolution is | | | | levels high and maintain their momentum, their |
| beginning with the iPhone. | | | | likelihood of succeeding into the business realm is |
| To fully understand the power of the iPhone, we | | | | very high. |
| need to explore the history of | | | | Smartphones have been used by many |
| “smartphones.” | | | | representatives to keep track of contacts and |
| History of Smartphones | | | | stay in touch with their downline. It is an easy |
| The definition of smartphones has changed with | | | | way to make a quick encouraging phone call or to |
| the complexity of the phones. Most people seem | | | | keep up with emails. The iPhone and its easy |
| to agree that a smartphone can be defined as a | | | | access to the web has the possibility of |
| phone with a distinct operating system. The first | | | | revolutionizing the way representatives conduct |
| smartphone was designed by IBM. Named Simon, | | | | their business. |
| it was shown as a concept product at a | | | | Many smartphones currently have the ability to |
| computer industry trade show in 1992. | | | | access the web but none have the ease of use |
| It was released to the public in 1993. In addition to | | | | or the speed of the iPhone. Use of the iPhone can |
| being a mobile phone, the Simon contained a | | | | allow a richer visual presentation that is appealing |
| software address book, a calendar, calculator, | | | | to a younger generation of consumers. The |
| notepad, email, fax and games. It had no physical | | | | availability of add-on applications at low cost |
| buttons; instead it had a touch-screen and used | | | | increases the value one may see in the phone |
| an optional stylus. Today, the Simon would seem | | | | and the many ways that it can be used. |
| unexceptional yet at the time it was extremely | | | | Independent representatives want to build their |
| advanced. | | | | businesses with a small investment. Being able to |
| In 1996, Nokia released a palmtop computer-style | | | | use their smartphone or iPhone (something that |
| smartphone. | | | | they already possess) to build their business is a |
| This was the first smartphone to have an open | | | | great asset to both the individual and the direct |
| operating system. The open operating system | | | | sales company. |
| permitted software applications that were not | | | | According to the DSA’s 2008 National |
| developed by Nokia to interface with the phone. | | | | Salesforce Study, 66% of individuals surveyed |
| Nokia released models during this time that had a | | | | spent 9 hours or less each week developing their |
| color screen, camera phone and Wifi. | | | | business. If companies are able to increase their |
| The Palm OS Treo smartphone by Handspring | | | | visibility in a representative’s life, it is likely the |
| was released in 2001. It could utilize mobile third | | | | business will grow. This is easily achieved through |
| party applications. It also contained a small sized | | | | the use of social media in connection with |
| full keyboard and included wireless web browsing, | | | | smartphones or the iPhone. |
| email, calendar and a contact organizer. | | | | DSA also reports that 64.5% of sales are made |
| The BlackBerry was released in 2002 by RIM. It | | | | by Individual/Person to Person selling. If individuals |
| was the first smartphone that concentrated on | | | | are able to increase their ability to sell at any |
| wireless email use and by June 2007, it had | | | | location, rather than only in a person’s home, |
| achieved a customer base of 8 million users. | | | | the representative’s sales and ability to grow |
| Three-quarters of those users were located in | | | | the business will increase. The iPhone, in |
| North America. | | | | connection with a feature-rich application, could |
| In 2005, Nokia launched its N-Series of 3G | | | | make this possible in the near future. |
| smartphones, which Nokia initially marketed not as | | | | This would allow a representative to take |
| mobile phones but as multimedia computers. | | | | advantage of situations as they occur, rather than |
| In June 2007, the iPhone was launched. In July | | | | having to schedule another time to demonstrate |
| 2007, they published their web development page | | | | their product. This single factor could increase a |
| and by October 2007, the iPhone was named | | | | representative’s ability to “work the |
| invention of the year by Time Magazine. In July | | | | business” from their evenings and weekends |
| 2008, Apple introduced its App Store for free and | | | | to anytime, anywhere. |
| fee based applications. Mobile downloads reached 1 | | | | Smartphones and mobile applications are here to |
| billion in April 2009, and 2 billion in September 2009. | | | | stay. As Anssi Vanjoki (Nokia VP and GM of |
| Noticing the popularity of the App Store, | | | | Multimedia) said on his company’s plans to |
| Microsoft, Palm, Blackberry and Nokia have | | | | release a new phone similar to the iPhone, “If |
| announced their own stores. | | | | there is something good in the world, then we |
| The iPhone is seeking to overtake the Business | | | | copy with it with pride.” |
| World. Initially, it was mainly used for pleasure but | | | | The iPhone has made a decisive impact on our |
| as it has become more integrated in | | | | society and will continue to do so. The direct |
| individual’s lives, it is being used increasingly | | | | selling company that is able to best leverage the |
| for business. This unique mobile smartphone allows | | | | mobile industry can be assured that their |
| inbuilt applications as well as customized | | | | representatives will have the highest potential to |
| applications. For the development of applications, | | | | be constantly connected and working the |
| Apple released an SDK (Software Development | | | | business. |