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