Dive Brief:
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Apple and Cisco Systems will work together to help businesses that use products from both companies receive discounts on cybersecurity insurance premiums, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said Monday while onstage with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins at the company's annual user conference in Las Vegas, according to Reuters.
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Cook and Robbins said combining Apple and Cisco products means customers will have such great security, they should get cheaper cyber insurance premiums. The companies didn’t give further details on the project or how it will work, but said more information would be coming soon.
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Cisco also announced a new security app designed to give iPhone users better protection against phishing attacks.
Dive Insight:
Apple has been working to expand its presence in the enterprise, but this appears to be its first enterprise effort to focus on security. The idea is that both CEOs feel their products are so secure, they are willing to negotiate cheaper cyber insurance premiums for companies that use them.
This is not the first Apple/Cisco collaboration. In 2015, Apple announced it would partner with Cisco to give business users of iOS devices a "fast lane" on Cisco-powered networks. For business customers, that meant a higher level of compatibility and performance between Apple and Cisco products.
The two companies feel that the combination they've formed is secure enough to ensure companies can manage the evolving security landscape.
One of the ways Apple is breaking into the enterprise is by forming partnerships with some of the leading technology vendors, such as IBM and SAP. Apple likely sees such partnerships as the easiest way to connect with enterprise buyers and reduce its reliance on consumer buyers.
