• Apple Insider, Tuesday, February 7, 2012 12:22 PM

Halliburton plans to transition thousands of employees from BlackBerrys to iPhones and Apple's iOSplatform, AppleInsider reports. While we doubt Apple will publicize the news -- given Halliburton’s poor public image -- it represents a huge win in its continued efforts to win over large corporate clients. "Over the next year, we will begin expanding the use of our mobile technology by transitioning from the BlackBerry (RIM) platform that we currently use to smartphone technology via the iPhone," the Houston, Texas-based firm told employees in an internal newsletter, obtained by AI.

The move apparently came after "significant research" into both Apple's mobile platform and Google's Android operating system, which led Halliburton to "determined that the iOS platform offered the best capabilities, controls and security for application development." Meanwhile, the transition to iPhones represents a significant departure in IT technology policy for Halliburton, sources tell AI. “They say that Windows rules the desktop, while Macs are outlawed and Linux is actively frowned upon.” Halliburton’s major business segment is its Energy Services Group, which provides technical products and services for petroleum and natural gas exploration and production.

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