Tablets for business use to spread significantly by 2013

Thursday, May 26, 2011

A survey from Model Metrics indicates that 78 percent of businesses expect to have tablet computers deployed operationally by the end of 2013.

However, a significant percentage of those respondents don't have a detailed implementation plan, the researchers added, as the survey found 51 percent with an adoption strategy in place.

These numbers are indicative of what may be a broader confusion about the use of tablet PCs in the enterprise. Of IT respondents, 42 percent said that operational decision-makers weren't sufficiently aware of the need for significant additional development as a precondition of tablet adoption.

As for tablet PC models, Apple holds an unaccustomed lead in an enterprise market, the survey found. Eighty-three percent of those planning to adopt tablets said they would opt for the iPad, in large part due to the business productivity tools available.

Experts say it will be important for business users of tablet PCs and other mobile devices to deploy VPN service to ensure the security of sensitive data sent and received over the air.