Citrix to Bring Remote Windows Access to the iPhone

Citrix has announced that it is planning to bring its XenDesktop and XenApp client and server software to the iPhone sometime in the first half of 2009. Citrix XenApp virtualizes individual Windows applications such as Microsoft Office, PowerPoint, Excel or SAP and then allows the user to run them remotely on a client-sever configuration. Citrix XenDesktop expands the virtualization concept to include the entire Windows Desktop operating system for XP or Vista. Both of these apps will be tweaked to take advantage of the iPhones multitouch commands such as pinch and pull, zoom and pan.

Citrix developers are not taking the iPhone port lightly and promise to preserve as much of the iPhone's unique capabilities as possible. Users will be able to use the Apps in portrait or landscape views and Citrix will support via extra effort any special key entries required by some programs. Citrix is also working closely with representatives in different business venues to make sure these Apps do what they need to do for businesses.

Finally, Citrix has also announced tools that will give developers the ability to take Microsoft Visual Basic and custom applications written in Microsoft Visual Studio to be converted to the screen resolution required to make them fit natively on a small screen - even the 3.5" iPhone screen or those of other handheld devices.