According to IDC’s report ‘Tablets in the Enterprise,’ tablet shipments in EMEA reached over 12m units in the first three quarters of 2011 and is expected to cross 20m units by the end of the year.
Although business purchases represent less than 10% of the entire tablet market, the opportunity for growth and interest from businesses is huge following the success of the iPad.
So far Apple has been quite successful with the iPad and they have already made their way into the enterprise space. Google’s Android lacks a convincing roadmap, Dell and RIM launching products unable to meet customer’s requirements, s do the vendors have a choice.
More than 48% of businesses have understood the importance of introducing tablets or purchased a few.
More than 22% of businesses think that the present generation of tablets defined by Apple iPad, are more suitable to their needs (for example, meter reading, inventory management) rather than their present equipment.
Tablets are perceived as perfectly well suited for several key vertical applications, such as wquipment maintenance, meter-reading (water, gas, electricity), proof-of-service in the field service category.
They are also very helpful in asset and inventory management, telematics and direct store delivery in the storage and logistics, travel, and distribution verticals.
Though iOS and Android have established their presence, Windows is clearly awaited, with more than 30% of respondents that would choose to have a Windows OS-based tablet device.
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Businesses also need the right solution and declare that they would accept paying up to 50% above the standard price to have the right features mounted on the devices.
Transport and storage and distribution sectors prefer to have barcode scanners, SD card readers, and cameras.
Finance sectors prefer features such as credit card readers, signature capture, and HDD with encryption.
Most businesses favour partnering directly with OEM-manufacturers and traditional resellers than with ISVs. Virtualisation and cloud-based technologies are the top preferred technologies considered to support tablet devices.
Tablets have become a credible client device option, and in some cases better suited. Some companies are in a wait-and-see mode, but several others are keen to go ahead, already deploying iPads, or evaluating Android or Windows 7 tablets.
2012 will definitely witness growing competitive offering as some vendors are now placing a stronger focus on the commercial market, though Apple will continue to gain share in the business space.
