[wallflower]

Don't feel bad about your post. I like your concept that having an iPad app signals "being with the times".

When I've dealt with Fortune 500 contracts, I never actually met anyone at the company directly. Subcontractor of a subcontractor, all relationships based on trust and prior project results. I think that, ego aside, that maybe it is more about embarrassment and behind-conference-doors shame, if a major company does not have an app, especially if it is an important customer want.

A good trend is that corporations are increasingly investing in the training/risk of building in-house mobile development teams rather than outsourcing. Yes, they run the risk their employees will jump when they have acquired real mobile dev chops - but the truth is there is an intangible benefit to working predictable 9 to 5, 5 day work weeks.