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Citrix ICA client for the iPhone. Would you care?

Written on Jul 16 2008
Filed under: , ,
6,250 views, 35 comments

by Brian Madden

Last month, Citrix showed a mockup of what an ICA client for the iPhone could look like:

This video created a lot of excitement. Personally, I don't understand what the big deal is. There have been ICA clients available for the Blackberry for years, and I don't know anyone who uses them apart from occasional maintenance tasks. But now that the iPhone supports Exchange, and now that the iPhone is so popular that the new workforce will "force" IT to support them, what does this mean for using ICA on the iPhone? Will people actually use iPhones for their jobs, or will this just be a cool party trick?

Citrix's Chris Fleck has blogged extensively about what he calls the "Nirvana" smart phone where he's looking for the perfect device mobile. Could this be the iPhone?

Comments

Shanetech wrote Yes and No
on 07-16-2008 10:05 AM
Simple mgmt tasks would be nice from the iphone over ICA, however nothing replaces a full screen for document editing/creation and more in depth mgmt activities. But it would be a cool trick at parties, especially since the rubbing your head and stomach at the same time gag is getting old.
Kata Tank wrote iPhone technology... Not iPhone devices
on 07-16-2008 10:15 AM

What is cool is not the iPhone (which is good only to show that you can zoom on your son picture with only 2 fingers) but the way the iPhone just open a new type of interface management.

Remember years ago the 1st ICA client for PDA... it just introduced "paning and scalling" to reflect the small screen form factor.
Some times ago, the ICA client introduced the tablet PC support (with digital ink) for keyboard-less system.
Now, it is time for easy zoom / rotation feature introduction...

Another step in the right direction of universal client... What is good for me is the ability to easy zoom to some part of the screen. This could allow "home-made-old-application" to be delivered to any form factor device...

Clayton wrote iPod Touch too!
on 07-16-2008 10:36 AM
Not sure if I would be willing to enter into a contract with AT&T.  But if they release an ICA Client that would work with the iPod Touch as well, count me in.  The multi-touch interface is what makes the iPhone appealing.  Using the pan/scan with the other mobile clients isn't usuable for performaing any work.  But if the ICA client would zoom and scroll through windows like the the Safari browser, it would definitely work for my remote administration tasks.
Guest wrote Just talking about this
on 07-16-2008 10:51 AM
I just got my first iPhone, and was asking about this.  It would be nice in the case of an emergency.  What does the future hold?
Guest wrote Re: Just talking about this
on 07-16-2008 11:54 AM
The future (hopefully) hold that geeks like you will be isolated from the genral population.
Scott Marlow wrote Iphone would be a great device for Citrix
on 07-16-2008 12:20 PM

The Iphone has such a great touch screen, I can really see this work out very well for light admin senario's.   What I am more curious about is the business use side as this may be a good fit for some highly mobile applications that can't be run off the web.

Brian Madden wrote Re: Just talking about this
on 07-16-2008 1:22 PM
Yes, him and the 5 million other geeks who've made the iPhone the fastest selling phone ever.
Guest wrote Re: Just talking about this
on 07-16-2008 1:37 PM
haha.. I know geeks are out in full swing getting their IPhones.
that was a joke btw to lighten upm the mood after vmware stock tanked
Victor Solis wrote iphone client for citrix
on 07-16-2008 4:20 PM
the beauty of having a ica client for the iphone is that with all of the features that the 2.0 firmware gives to the iphone, you'll soon see many companies adopt iphone into their environment.  once that happens, many people will want to carry a "one device fits all" for their communication needs.  much like the blackberry brought email, web browsing and cell phone technology to the masses, the iphone is poised to take the torch from rim's device.  it makes sense that citrix produce a client that will work on a device that will potentially be carried by so many knowledge workers.  if some enterprising developer ever figures a way to pair a keyboard and mouse, apple may have the future of thin computing on their hands.
Christopher Wilson wrote killer app
on 07-16-2008 4:49 PM

Citrix client for iPhone would persuade me to buy one.  The web browsing on the iPhone is the nicest I've seen on a phone or PDA.  I wouldn't mind the scrolling window as much if you could easily drag the screen around to the portion you need. 

 

Nick wrote made me laugh
on 07-16-2008 6:07 PM
was a a citrix conferenace about 6 weeks ago is Aus when they showed the iphoen running an ica client. It really seems to get people excited, which really amused me. Have been using HP ipaqs with a citrix client for a few years. Screen size has and still always be the killer.
Brian Madden wrote Re: killer app
on 07-16-2008 7:05 PM
Actually that's a great point. Imagine if you could zoom in an out of your remote ICA window with that "pinch and spread" technique of the iPhone...
Craig Miller wrote I think your missing it
on 07-16-2008 8:08 PM

I think your missing something big about this if Apple ever aproves ICA for the iPhone.

In Apple's current model all applications that can ran on the iPhone must come the App Store where all of the applications have to be reviewed and approved by Apple before they can be distributed to someone's phone.  Also currently all of these applications must be developed on a Apple computer since the iPhone SDK is only available for OSX.

Now knowing this, if one were able to get ICA on an iPhone, then the would be breaking these barriers.  You would now be free to distibute any app to any iPhone you control via XenApp.  You could also now develop the application on your Windows machine via Visual Studio.  It is because of this I wonder if Apple will allow the ICA client to be availble on the iPhone (at least officially and not through an jailbroken phone).

Chris Fleck wrote iPhone as the " Nirvana Phone "
on 07-16-2008 8:13 PM

Brian , thanks for bringing up the question. Compared to previous devices the iPhone has a such a great screen and usable user interface I think there will be be increased adoption for mobile and viewing senarios with limited input requirements.

When the iPhone can be docked to a full sized monitor and keyboad and connected to a Virtual Desktop ... then it will be a " Nirvana Phone "

Craig Miller wrote Re: iPhone as the
on 07-16-2008 8:59 PM
I agree with you on this.  It would really be awesome if I could use the iPhone as a thin client inwhich I could plugin in an external display and use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
Guest wrote Not without monitor (not tv) out...
on 07-16-2008 9:12 PM

I'm not sure that you could call the iphone a nirvana device until you could convert it to a proper thin client. From what I understand, the iphone is only caable of outputting 480i or 576i resolution to a TV, which is really not great functionality wise.

I think the bigger question would be can Citrix afford not create a client for it?  You have a potential demonstration market of about (lets say) 1/6 of the iphone market would would have Citrix in their work life.  How could you afford not to put a pnagent/web interface out there? With proper zooming, and file upload capability it would be a great advertising tool.

Jason Conomos wrote Re: made me laugh
on 07-17-2008 12:49 AM

I may have been at that same conference :)  Go the Aussie boys

I have done several demonstrations of XenDesktop to many clients and every client has requested that they want XenDesktop to function on their PDA, iphone, those really small form factor notebooks, thin notebooks, MAC, smartphone etc etc.

Why you would want this to work on a device that can not display a full desktop i am not too sure of in a normal day to day working environment.  However what does it demonstrate?  It demonstrates the notion that a corporate image desktop can be deployed to close to any device (I tested it on my PS3, and it didnt work though) on many different connections therefore making Windows XP portable.  And honestly it is a wow factor.

No body ever said that Citrix could not market did they :)

Kata Tank wrote Re: made me laugh
on 07-17-2008 1:23 AM

they just want to have the choice... Will they use it ? No !

but I will have the impression I could have the choice... 

Guest wrote Maybe if Apple creates a bigger form-factor...
on 07-17-2008 4:06 AM

The screen of the iPhone might be a bit too small. But what if Apple decides to make a device with the form-factor of an eee PC? Having a 10" tablet would definitely work for more serious applications and using ICA removes a lot of the restrictions what you can do. And it would immediately legitimate the usage of such a device in a business environment.

Chris Fleck wrote Re: Not without monitor (not tv) out...
on 07-17-2008 7:59 AM
I agree it will need VGA with at least 1024x768 to provide a good desktop alternative. Currently there are limitaions in the iPhone's Video out and SDK , but there reference points. The iMate 8150 for example can output real VGA 1024x768 and it looks great.
Scott Marlow wrote ComputerWorld Article on this topic
on 07-17-2008 9:48 AM
Guest wrote What about..
on 07-18-2008 5:10 AM

What about the iPhone projecting a larger screen on your desk or wall. Now you could use the iPhone as e touchpad mouse with zooming capabilities and stuff. Apple only needs to add a small projector thingy to the phone.

 

..Dennis..

Guest wrote Crazy BS
on 07-18-2008 9:57 AM

People really need to get a life , why would any normal person want to have the ica client on a iphone? Let me guess so if there climbing a mountain and some calls saying there is a citrix server issue you can resolve it for them or if you out for dinner with family and you get a call from work you can solve the issue as you eat. People need to step back and leave work in work