It’s no secret that President Barack Obama is a fan of Apple gadgets, and they are all around him: at his fingertips during a Twitter town hall, on his desk at the Oval Office and by his side en route to golf games.

Now, due to popular demand by aides, the White House is moving to incorporate Apple devices into its daily routine. Last month, the information technology office launched a pilot program for the Executive Office of the President that allows Apple-loving staffers to access their official email accounts on their iPads and iPhones through a secure connection, a White House official told POLITICO. The pilot program is expected to run through mid-fall, the official said.

Obama aides, who found themselves in a stodgy PC world when they moved into the West Wing more than two years ago, said the program is part of an effort to update White House technology. It’s difficult to convince federal information technology departments to allow new devices to connect to a government network, mostly because of security concerns, so the pilot program represents a significant step in opening its network to the high-tech world.

Aides stressed that the program does not favor any company’s products. A wide range of equipment is still used: Dell computers are scattered throughout the West Wing, and many staffers rely on BlackBerrys.

Still, the efforts partly reflect Obama’s affinity for the brand. Last month, when Obama left to play a round of golf at Andrews Air Force Base, he carried his iPad. And when he appeared at the White House Twitter town hall in July, he used a MacBook Pro, although the Apple symbol was covered with the presidential seal. He also has an iPod.

“He’s president at a time when Apple is at its high point, so of course the administration is going to reflect that,” a former White House official said. “Mac is considered youthful, and the president is still considered somewhat youthful.”

READ MORE: POLITICO