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Apple’s new iPad Air is certainly generating a lot of hype and building traction. The latest iteration of the tablet series is generating rave reviews from critics who like the slimmer design, more powerful processor, and brighter images.
The Air, both in its standard and Mini versions, will add to the consumer tablet market that Apple already dominates. According to a recent survey by Chitika Insights, the iPad lineup accounted for 81 percent of tablet traffic in Canada and the United States during the month of January 2013. Everyone else lags far behind.
The iPad is certainly versatile, visually appealing, and easy to use. However, how does it compare as a trading tool?
A recent study published by the global research firm Forrester indicated that 21 percent of business respondents used a tablet at least weekly for work. Among them, 58 percent used the iPad. This is double the number using Android tablets and more than five times the number using Windows tablets, according to the report.
The Los Angeles Times reported in an article in October that another study, by Good Technology, a maker of mobile security apps, found that 72% of enterprise-activated mobile devices ran on Apple’s iOS. Looking at just the tablets, 90% were iPads.
The statistics tell a good story. But before a company jumps on the iPad bandwagon, it needs to recognize the limitations a tablet brings to the workplace, especially those running on Apple’s iOS system.
Many corporate users complain that the iPad cannot connect to a Windows domain like a Windows client PC can. Joining a PC to a domain allows the system administrator to add it to a domain based on Windows Active Directory. It can then be managed through Active Directory.
Any tablet, including the iPad, has relatively light processing power. Businesses still need desktop workstations to perform heavier computing tasks, such as creating and managing CAD databases, editing media, or handling large scientific data sets. Writing and generating long and short form content is also best accomplished on a PC or laptop.
The iPad could also be a headache for corporate compliance. Since the tablet is primarily a consumer device, compliance regulations such as HIPAA and Sarbanes-Oxley are not built into its specifications. IT has to ensure that the data that iPad users access is compliant both in terms of where that data resides and how it is transmitted.
The iPad is weak when it comes to virtualization. It may be an integration and support issue compared to a standard thin client.
Although new apps are available for iOS that help solve the problems of a Windows-based network, those who enjoy the tablet experience may do better with the Surface 2. Since Microsoft dominates the workplace, this new tablet can be a real alternative with Windows. on board.
Overall, the tablet market has a long way to go to replace PCs and notebooks. Daily business operations are best accomplished with a keyboard and a full desktop operating system.
What do you think? Do you use a tablet at work and how do you use it?
Let us know.