IBM announced, at its "World of Watson" event in Las Vegas, that intends to combine 'Watson' cognitive computing technology with its business applications MobileFirst for iOS.
Watson is a cloud-based and natural language deep data analysis computing system which has limited use, previously seen in cloud analytics services for the enterprise versions of Apple's HealthKit and ResearchKit.
Apple and IBM first collaborated on the MobileFirst for iOS initiative in 2014 in an attempt to create business solutions built around Apple's mobile platform. For Watson's deployment to the MobileFirst program, IBM hopes to tailor Watson to seamlessly integrate with Apple's own voice app (Siri) and allow business users to develop Watson APIs for their own specific needs.
The general manager of the Apple and IBM partnership, Mahmoud Naghshineh, outlined the vision of the two companies in a press release.
“Apple and IBM have been established more than two years ago to define the business mobility market, ensuring that professionals can finally enjoy the same experience on the job that they have come to expect as consumers. This is taking us to a new level by combining the power of Watson with the new voice service in iOS 10. The combinations and possibilities are practically endless.
An example of the benefits of integration is the application Passenger +, which when reinforced with Watson enables flight attendants to offer more personal and relevant customer serviceWhile during the flight, staff can learn in advance whether travelers prefer priority seating and whether they have a favorite food or drink, for example, allowing the cabin crew to customize services tailored for the passenger.
Under the continued partnership with Apple, IBM has made the sale of iOS devices to corporate clients and the creation of a wide range of applications focused on the company, tailored to industries such as retail, healthcare, banking, travel services, transportation and more.
In related news, it was revealed last week that IBM had managed to make serious savings by replacing computers to start using Apple Macs, in another sign of a mutually beneficial partnership between the two companies.