Report: iPad infiltrating enterprise IT
By now, we all know that the iPad has been a runaway success story, but it seems the iPad is also making waves in the business world, too. According to the Apple Blog, Ted Schadler, from Forrester, has written a report on the impact of the iPad (primarily on the enterprise market, since January 2010). Speaking with more than 200 companies, Schadler's report points out three major ways that the iPad is changing IT in the enterprise.
Firstly, the iPad is reportedly displacing the traditional laptop, especially in the case of those who would use their laptop primarily for email and other types of Web-based communication, though, at this stage, only in scenarios where it is more appropriate.
Secondly, the iPad is replacing paper. Wherever people would usually carry around stacks of paper or files, particularly in medical and pharmaceutical industries, the iPad is now the preferred choice. Clearly, the iPad has more functionality than a wad of paper, and it's a lot easier to carry around, too.
Finally, Schadler says that the iPad is allowing companies to do things more efficiently by providing immediate connection to further resources and data. Schadler uses the example of a salesman being able to customize an order for a customer on the spot by using the iPad.
However, Schadler says there are still some pretty significant hurdles for the iPad to jump through. For one, the iPad has minimal support for Microsoft Office, and the Redmond based company doesn't have any official solutions in the near future to rectify this. This, in part, limits where you can and can't use an iPad in a Microsoft Office dominated enterprise world.
The Apple Blog has further details on Schadler's report here, or if you're a Forrester subscriber, you can read the full story here.
