Making an iPhone Office

By: Marco
February 19, 2015

Like many of today’s professionals, I spend a lot of time out of the office and a fair amount of time traveling. So I look forward to the day when we can carry one device. I’m almost there.

I bought an iPhone 6 Plus when they first came out – partly because I’m an IT guy and I like testing out the latest technology. I was mostly interested in some of the changes that make this smartphone more of an all-in-one business device. 


For the first time, I am using my smartphone more as a computer than a phone or small window for viewing my email. I hardly carry my laptop anymore and I take almost all of my notes on my smartphone. 

Much of the advantages come because of the larger screen at 5.5 inches. That’s about 38 percent larger than the iPhone 5. It does fit in my dress pants’ pocket, but probably doesn’t fit in most pockets of pants for women.

The larger screen alone has allowed me to build a mobile office with my iPhone. I demonstrate it in this video. Here’s the rundown:

  • Microsoft Office: You can now download Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint for free from the app store. A larger screen makes it easier to edit and work on Microsoft Office files and even take meeting notes directly into a Word document.
  • Laser_Keyboard_PostEpic Laser Keyboard: My fingers don’t type as fast on the smartphone keyboard as my teenagers. I prefer the more traditional keyboard and the Epic Laser Keyboard turns any flat surface into a keyboard with the switch of a button. The Epic device connects to my iPhone via Bluetooth and projects a keyboard with a red laser. Now, I can edit or even begin creating a Word document from my smartphone. It’s really cool and we’re giving one away on our Facebook page. Check it out.
  • Virtual Desktop: I can access my desktop operating system with VDI, short for virtual desktop infrastructure. I carry a miniature VDI device that allows me to access my desktop like I would in the office from my iPhone 6 Plus. This is what allows me to literally take my office anywhere and makes the experience feel seamless.
  • Monitor: If I have access to a larger monitor, my iPhone can act as a virtual terminal and connect to a larger screen. This makes it so I don’t have to power up another device (even if I am in my office) if I don’t want to. The iPhone 6 Plus, like Samsung’s Galaxy, has so much of the functionality of a modern tablet or should I say phablet? I wrote about the move to phablets – a combination of a smartphone and a tablet in one device – over a year ago. The iPhone6 Plus fits in this new product category.

The iPhone 6 Plus is still missing the ability to use a mouse. That will continue to be a sought-after feature even as we move completely to smaller devices. Stay tuned. I have seen a prototype of a mouse that works with iOS devices when integrated into a VDI session.

A year ago, I shared how laptops are on track to becoming obsolete with the evolution and adoption of phablet devices like the iPhone6 Plus. In the industry, it’s believed that the days of 4- to 5-inch smartphone screens are gone.

Phablets are the fastest growing smartphone category. A report from BI Intelligence forecasts phablet shipments will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 27 percent in the next five years. That’s nearly double the rate expected for smartphones during that period. By 2019, phablets are expected to account for 59 percent of the global smartphone shipments.

They have the functionality we need. We will get used to the size. Now, we just need the fashion industry to get on board.

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Topics: Phone & Collaboration