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Apple’s new iPad Air is certainly generating a lot of buzz and generating traction. The latest version of the tablet series is getting rave reviews from critics who like the slimmer design, more powerful processor, and brighter visuals.
The Air, in both its standard and Mini versions, will add to the consumer tablet market that Apple already dominates. According to a recent Chitika Insights survey, the iPad lineup accounted for 81 percent of tablet traffic in Canada and the United States for the month of January 2013. All others lag far behind.
The iPad is truly 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 twice 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 mobile devices activated by companies ran Apple’s iOS. Looking at tablets alone, 90% were iPads.
The statistics tell a good story. But before a business jumps on the iPad bandwagon, it must recognize the limitations that 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 it can with a Windows client PC. 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 databases with CAD, 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 corporate compliance headache. 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 accessed by iPad users is compliant both in terms of where that data resides and how it is transmitted.
The iPad is weak when it comes to virtualization. May be an integration and support issue compared to a standard thin client.
While there are new apps available for iOS to help solve Windows-based networking issues, those who enjoy the tablet experience can do better with Surface 2. As Microsoft dominates the workplace, this new tablet can be a real alternative with Windows. on board.
In general, the tablet market has a long way to go to replace PCs and notebooks. Daily business operations are best accomplished with a keyboard and full desktop operating system.
What do you think? Do you use a tablet at work and how do you use it?
Let us know.