Yesterday I watched the presentation about the release of the iPhone OS 3.0. This release has a lot of new features that will enrich the Apple’s business ecosystem.

I will try to explain briefly the most interesting part of the main features of this new operating system:

1) With this new OS, it is possible to purchase content and services directly from the application. In this way, a company can manage directly all aspects of the transaction including process payment and can also provide the customer all the information regarding the purchase. This is managed by Itunes Store like a services provider.

2) The Apple Push service will be available not only for the email application but for all applications that needs it; this service has been designed in order to save energy.

3) APIs for the new OS will be released to connect every application with external HW either through the 30 pin connector or wirelessly with bluetooth; that means that a new developer of HW products and the connection of the iphone with real world can be done through sensors, machines, instruments, appliance, etc…

4) Applications can use the bluetooth in a very simple way, without pairing, to develop social network and facilitate smart messaging; not just games but also the possibility to bring the social network from the virtual world to the real world with a face-to-face interaction among people.

5) The option to use google maps like a tool inside the applications allows the development of information mash-ups.

6) The possibility for applications to use the contents of Itunes and perhaps, in the future, the use of  personal preferences can allow the development of personalized services.

I see a convergence between these new features of Iphone 3.0 and so do our researchers in Future Centre.

Points 1, 3, and 6 could enhance applications’ performance in the Micromachine and Market@One project.

Point 4 could be used in an application for the direct interaction among people who are in the same physical place according to their profile and tastes; it could be used by a services provider like Facebook or other social networks for a face-to-face interaction; Life and Lives project is studying this kind of scenario.

Finally, point 5 can facilitate the mash-ups for Iphone applications.

I think that it’s an amazing idea to give payments and process control tools to companies that want to improve and manage their business models; it means flexibility, true payment services with one click, no troubles to manage accounts.

Integration with mobile CRM can add value to these tools; in the presentation, Oracle has showed an application based on his mobile CRM.

Iphone, Ipod, Itunes, and Apple Store are becoming a business platform and it’s amazing that this platform can be used to improve services in different vertical markets. I think that it can be a good opportunity for Telco operators to improve ecosystems in different areas.

Apple is looking at the market and how to help companies to develop their business in different markets…and now it’s only the beginning of this new way to play in the business ecosystems.