“If you’re an enterprise that still doesn’t support Apple devices, you’re part of a slim and shrinking minority, according to a new report from Dimensional Research… sponsored by JAMF Software,” Michelle Maisto reports for eWeek. “To answer a question of whether Apple devices are being managed as effectively and efficiently as other devices, the firm surveyed more than 300 IT professionals. It found that more than 90 percent of businesses support Apple devices; specifically, 91 percent are supporting iPhones, 89 percent support iPads and 60 percent support Macs. More than half said they’re supporting between 50 and 500 Apple devices; 14 percent said they support between 500 and 1,000 devices and 11 percent between 1,000 and 5,000. The report, released June 10, called the pace of Apple adoption ‘frantic.'”
“User preference (78 percent) was the top reason cited for supporting Apple, the Dimensional Research study found, followed by higher productivity (35 percent) and the need for apps only available on Apple devices (29 percent),” Maisto reports. “When asked about the biggest challenges to supporting Apple devices, 50 percent said the readiness of their enterprise, just as many said the cost of supporting Apple devices, and 44 percent said inadequate tools for managing Apple software.”
“Twenty percent of respondents also said they expect to hire more staff to manage Apple devices, and 40 percent said they’ll receive additional budget specifically to support Apple. Yet 43 percent said they wouldn’t receive a budget increase, and 60 percent said existing staff will need to educate themselves about Apple,” Maisto reports. “Apple, during its June 2 introduction of iOS 8, said it will offer new features for enterprise users when the OS arrives this fall. These will include new deployment tools for IT, so that devices can be provisioned online (instead of physically and one by one); expanded security features; and the ability for users to see how their devices are configured, managed and restricted.”
Read more in the full article here.
Related articles:
New Apple iOS 8, OS X Yosemite features aim to boost enterprise sales – June 7, 2014
Apple computing devices surge in corporate, retail; productivity increases – January 9, 2014
Analyst: Apple iPad makes big enterprise gains as Android tablets fail to take hold – December 3, 2013
Apple’s iOS dominating in the enterprise – October 18, 2013
Over 95% of custom apps developed by businesses are written for Apple iOS devices – October 17, 2013
BYOD boosts Macs vs. Windows PCs: The final barriers to widespread Mac adoption in the enterprise are eroding – February 19, 2013
Mac attack: The world finally begins ultimate personal computing upgrade – January 17, 2012
Apple Macs continue to invade the enterprise – September 5, 2012
Gartner: Apple Macs invading the Windows PC-dominated enterprise – June 6, 2012
Mac Attack: Get ready IT doofus, your world is about to be turned right-side-up – November 28, 2011
Hell freezes over: Forrester urges IT to support the Mac – October 27, 2011
Corporate Mac sales surge 66% as Apple makes huge enterprise gains – May 20, 2011
Mac vs. Windows in business case study: Macs have 1/3 fewer problems that are solved 30% faster – June 2, 2008
CIO: Apple’s Mac OS X is the most cost effective operating system – September 24, 2007
Apple Mac desktops, notebooks top PC Magazine’s Annual Reader Satisfaction survey – again – September 18, 2007
CIO: Eight financial reasons why you should be using Apple Mac – August 01, 2007
Switching business from Windows to Mac offers significant savings – July 23, 2007
Fire all winDozing IT personel, the picnic is over it’s time to come to terms Apple is here to rule.
Heh, heh, heh, heh… 😈
The campaigns of Alexander the Great proceed apace, laying waste both to the lands ahead of him, and to the pretensions of those high-born pretenders who once owned them, and reckoned themselves invincible
What about the raping and pillaging? That was the best part of an Alexander the Great campaign. Don’t leave it out.
Not leaving anything out, just reserving a command post for my own. Bring the youthful warriors before me, that I might test them.
“……… inadequate tools for managing Apple software.” At last, public admission that the IT doofus is an inadequate tool!
My IT guys/gals are awesome. Help me with my issues pretty darn quick. Course they are Linux.
Though the greatest IT Folks do it so they are invisible.
Celebrate with Caution. What the eWeek story is reporting is that Enterprise companies are having difficulty supporting Apple devices due to a shortage or lack of trained IT staff.
Great feel good spin. Best to take with a grain of salt if you’re thinking it means more than is written. There is no context on how big the Apple investment is in comparison to other devices in the same categories. But great to see that Apple products are well received in enterprises.