Apple and Cisco have partnered up to provide iOS enterprise users with a 'fast lane'.

The duo will focus on optimising Cisco networks for iOS devices and apps, integrating the iPhone with Cisco enterprise environments, and utilising iPhone and iPad as collaboration tools.

“iOS is the world's best mobile platform, and nearly every Fortune 500 and Global 500 company today has put iOS at the centre of their mobile strategy,” says Tim Cook, Apple CEO.

“iPhone and iPad have become essential tools for the modern workforce and are changing the way work gets done.

“Together with Cisco, we believe we can give businesses the tools to maximise the potential of iOS and help employees become even more productive using the devices they already love,” he says.

John Chambers, Cisco executive chairman, says 95% of companies in the Fortune 500 use Cisco Collaboration and Cisco networks to help their teams be more productive.

He says, “Through this engineering and go-to-market partnership, we're offering our joint customers the ability to seamlessly extend that awesome Cisco environment to their favourite iOS devices. Together, we're going to help teams achieve higher levels of productivity and effectiveness.

To address the ever-increasing demands on corporate infrastructure, Cisco networks and iOS devices will be optimised so they work together more efficiently and reliably.

The duo will also work together to make the iPhone a better business collaboration tool in Cisco voice and video environments, with the goal of providing employees with a connection between their iPhone and their desk phone.

With Apple's support, Cisco will deliver experiences specially optimised for iOS across mobile, cloud, and premises-based collaboration tools such as Cisco Spark, Cisco Telepresence and Cisco WebEx in order to deliver seamless team collaboration and reinvent the meeting experience.