Lopez says the iPhone's UI could be particularly well suited to run applications that require users to fill out forms, close out help desk tickets, or retrieve information on clients or locations. Physicians or nurses could also benefit from an iPhone-based app that enables them to manage patient health records via an iPhone or iPod touch. "The iPhone could be treated like a tablet without the pen," Lopez says.

As for Mahdavi's vision of the iPhone as a business tool outside of intelligent notification, he enthusiastically states that Apple is only beginning its entry into the mobile enterprise space. "The first step is the upcoming software development kit (SDK), so developers can create applications that run indigenously on the device. Security enhancements will likely come soon after," he says.

Whether or not you, like Mahdavi, believe Apple and its iPhone stand a chance in the competitive mobile enterprise space—and there’s been no shortage of skeptical voices on this issue—it's worth keeping in mind the device has only been available in the United States for four months.

One thing is for certain: the iPhone has certainly piqued the interest of corporate executives, and as Apple and external developers develop new applications, the device's potential value to businesses and their enterprise users only increases.