IBM has unveiled seven new social networking and collaboration mobile apps specifically designed to address enterprise-class requirements in India. The new software, available for download today from the most popular app stores, takes IBM social networking, real-time collaboration and online meeting capabilities from behind the company firewall and places it into the hands of tablet users.

The new offerings span the widest range of tablets, including the iPad. The software allows employees to more effectively collaborate and share data, images and conduct meeting and on the fly more securely as part of their everyday work experience.

“India is, undoubtedly, an emerging market for tablets and smartphones. More of these devices are finding their way into enterprises as employees entering the organisation will expect to be allowed to use them. Employees increasingly seek to take full advantage of better browsers and innovative applications from app stores. The ability to quickly access Angry Birds is fun, but being able to also access business applications and sales leads is beguiling today’s customers,” said said Karthik Padmanabhan, Country Manager, Lotus, IBM Software Group India/ South Asia.

To meet the demands of the fast-growing mobile workforce, and the software developers who support them, IBM is delivering:

Social networking for iPad: Available from the Apple app store at no charge for existing IBM Connections users, the new app includes a new interface ideal for tablet devices allowing for unique document editing capabilities.

Attend Online Meetings: Employees can attend on-line meetings from their tablets anytime, anyplace. Available on Android, BlackBerry, iPad, and iPhone devices, LotusLive Meeting users can view shared presentations, chat with meeting participants, and virtually raise and lower hands from tablets and other mobile devices. IBM Sametime software users can also lead, participate in and manage browser-based meetings from their iPad or Android tablets.

Instant messaging: New mobile apps for iPad and Android enable IBM Sametime users to use tablets to take immediate action on urgent business tasks by providing one-on-one or group instant messaging, background notifications, and the ability to send photos through the chat window.

Access business documents: Available now in app stores, IBM Lotus Symphony Viewers allow mail users to view any ODF-based document, spreadsheet and presentation on their iPad, iPhone or Android device.

Reduce calling costs: IBM Sametime Unified Telephony on tablets allows a user to initiate calls to whatever phone happens to be nearby by controlling call routing preferences and device selection as well as have his one unified number appear in caller ID.

Easier access to mail and calendar: IBM Lotus Notes Traveler now allows IBM mail users to easily add widgets to their Android home screens for quick, convenient access to mail and calendar, and allows users to call people listed in their calendar views with just one click.

IBM is also helping developers create mobile applications faster with an improved experience for the user:

Tools to build mobile apps faster and better: IBM is introducing its Mobile Technology Preview on the developerWorks website.  Available for the Android mobile operating system, the platform is designed to help enterprises get started with mobile application development.  These tools can be downloaded now to help foster innovation and explore capabilities that are needed to build mobile applications that extend and integrate into the enterprise.

Tool to improve the Web experience for the user: New software IBM WebSphere Portal Mobile Experience solution helps companies more easily control the content, look and feel and page navigation on mobile devices resulting in increased on-line business. Higher quality mobile Web experiences mean more repeat business, more recommendations and fewer clients lost to competitors.  It is available at no charge to IBM portal customers. Although it is optimised for smartphones, it also works with tablets.