Gallery: Best iPhone business apps

Apple's iPhone might be seen by many as largely a consumer device, with games and media apps regularly topping the 'What's Hot' list on iTunes. However, the App Store currently stocks more than 2,000 business apps and, with the iPhone currently dominating around 13 percent of the smartphone market, the device's potential as a business tool can no longer be ignored. Silicon.com's Sophie Curtis leads a tour of some of the best business apps that can help turn your iPhone into a portable office.?

?Oracle business indicators
?This is a business intelligence application, providing access to real-time business performance information on the go. Users can view customised financial, HR, supply chain and customer relationship management analytics for free, as long as they own a licensed version of Oracle Business Intelligence Suite Enterprise Edition Plus or Oracle Business Intelligence Applications.?

?The user interface is designed specifically for business users, enabling them to locate business performance metrics in an engaging display.?

?Image credit: Apple

This app enables access to the LinkedIn business network while on the go. Users can send and receive invitations and messages, post status updates and search contact information for free.

Image credit: Apple

The Thomson Reuters app helps users keep up to date with breaking news and market data from around the world. Users can view extensive coverage of the financial markets, from deals and merger news to global market data, and set up a personalized watch list to monitor stocks and companies.?

Users can browse in-depth company profiles, including business descriptions, employee profiles and contact details.

The app also enables location-specific news, so that information is relevant to where the user is. Users can also view pictures and videos from around the world, as well as following news from other sectors such as technology, sport and entertainment.

Image credit: Apple

This app provides users with up-to-date information on the status of their FedEx shipments. All of the tracked packages appear automatically, giving users the option to create a watch list for priority shipments.

Each shipment can be individually tracked by inputting a tracking number. They can also be personalized by adding nicknames and notes.

Image credit: Apple

The Salesforce.com application collects business documents and customer data on the iPhone, allowing business users to view and edit their Salesforce records such as accounts, opportunities and leads.

Users can access the latest account activity before meetings, log calls and respond directly to customer requests

The latest version includes support for more content, such as presentations and sales literature, as well as improved data transport security.

The app comes in two versions. Mobile Lite provides a stripped down version to all salesforce.com customers with Professional, Enterprise or Unlimited Edition licenses. The full version enables full create, edit and delete capabilities, and requires users to have the Unlimited Edition license or Mobile license.

Image credit: Apple

The Huddle application is a collaborative work tool, allowing users to share files, manage projects and organize virtual meetings via their iPhone. Users can access all their data on the go, including tasks, discussion, spreadsheets and presentations.

Image credit: Apple

This app allows users to connect to their list of pending tasks and process, approve or reject them directly from the iPhone. They can view PDFs, call or email task initiators and share task lists with colleagues.

The app is free but requires the user to have Adobe LiveCycle Process Management ES2 configured for mobile task access.

Image credit: Apple

This app allows users to access sensitive networked information which is protected by RSA SecurID by using their iPhone as a software authenticator. iPhone users can import a software token that will generate a SecurID one-time password, removing the need to carry a separate authenticator.

The app is free but users must already own RSA Authentication Manager and RSA SecurID Software Token Seeds.

Image credit: Apple

The Cisco mobile app provides access to a company's internal phone system, allowing users to join meetings, answer business calls and listen to voice messages. It alerts users to missed calls, redirects office calls to the iPhone and enables users to dial via the office. Users can also join Cisco Unified MeetingPlace meetings via their iPhone.

The app is free but requires users to have a Cisco Unified Mobility Advantage server.

Image credit: Apple

This free application provides up-to-the-minute information on flight arrival and departure times on British Airways but other apps are available for other airlines. It also allows users to browse flight schedules, helping them to plan their business itineraries.

Users can also use the app to click through to ba.com, where they can book flights, manage bookings and check in online.

Image credit: Apple

The NetSuite app provides on-the-go access to NetSuite's business management suite, including real-time dashboards, financial and customer data - including sales orders, support cases and opportunities - and activity and task management. The app is free for existing NetSuite users.

Image credit: Apple

This app allows users to manage their entire Windows desktop, data and applications from their iPhone. The app offers secure Remote Desktop and VMware View clients on the go, as well as Thin-Browser and automatic keyboard activation when users install the free PocketCloud Windows Companion on the remote desktop.

Image credit: Apple

With Citrix receiver, users can access any Windows app or document directly from their iPhone, allowing them to open documents, update reports, approve expenses and join webinars. Users can use the app to zoom, pan, click, scroll and type. All data is saved back onto the company's network.

The app delivers multi-media content using Citrix HDX technology. It's free but users need a wi-fi or 3G connection, as well as XenApp Web Services and Citrix XenApp 5 or Presentation Server 4.5.

Image credit: Apple

iAnywhere Mobile Office allows iPhone users to access Lotus Domino and Microsoft Exchange, with support for email, calendaring, tasks and contacts. It also provides email push notification.

The app included several security features, allowing IT departments to administer and control iPhones within the business. These include password protection, data encryption and on-demand data wipe in the event that the device is stolen.

Image credit: Apple

This app enables users to call and send instant messages to anyone else with a Skype account for free. Users can sign on wherever they have a mobile data connection or wi-fi access.

Users can also call landlines anywhere in the world at cheap rates and send low-cost texts via a wi-fi connection

Image credit: Apple

The Evernote app allows users to create text, photo and audio notes and automatically synchronize them with a Mac, PC or the web. All notes include geo-location information for mapping and search.

Users can select favourite notes that can be accessed offline.

Image credit: Apple