Archive for the ‘Industry’ Category
Wednesday, November 14th, 2012
Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
Our Q4 2012 Mobile Workforce Report is out tomorrow, but you can get a peek at some of the results.
Damon Poeter in PCMag, in “Bring-Your-Own-Device Trend Gaining Steam,” tells how employer-provisioned smartphones have dropped sharply, from 58 percent to 33 percent in the last year.
More from the report and article:
“The iPhone held on to the top spot in terms of popularity among those surveyed, with 53 percent naming Apple’s handset as their first choice, up from 45 percent the year before. Phones running Google’s Android mobile operating system eclipsed RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones in popularity for the first time since iPass has been conducting its research.
Meanwhile, just 5 percent of those polled said they currently use one of Microsoft’s Windows Phone devices but iPass noted that 8 percent think they’ll be getting one by the end of 2013.
Read the article >>
Subscribe to receive the Mobile Workforce Report >>
PCMag preview: BYOD trend is gaining steam >>
Monday, November 12th, 2012
Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
Last week, Eric Lai on ZDNet wrote about the follow-on trends to BYOD, called BYON, or Bring-Your-Own-Network, in his article: ‘Bring Your Own Network’: More Security Risks Than BYOD?
“BYON describes how the number and variety of networks and cloud services accessed by mobile workers, often at the same time, is exploding, just as the number and variety of mobile devices carried by employees exploded as the result of BYOD.” As more mobile workers contract with Wi-Fi access vendors (such as iPass, or Boingo), they bring that network along with home networks into the mix. And accessing corporate data and networks from these points.
Chris Witeck, senior director of product marketing at iPass, said there are many steps you can take to make sure devices aren’t vulnerable. “You can protect them by making sure you don’t allow any unauthorized access. Then, the chance of getting access to data becomes slim to none.”
As IT looks for ways to manage this trend, fueled by the Bring-Your-Own-Device trend, companies will continue to bring out more solutions to manage devices, access and data.
The article also noted how iPass defines BYON as “the business traveler wanting to stay connected: “When remote or traveling workers “bring” wireless Internet access with them through a global Wi-Fi network such as iPass and its 150,000 hotspots, rather than rely on free Wi-Fi hotspots or potentially-flaky cellular coverage.”
Read the full article >>
Get the BYON whitepaper >>
BYON – Bring Your Own Network gets a closer look >>
Wednesday, October 24th, 2012
Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
In the new era of mobile devices, companies are now providing customers with tablets in areas such as Restaurants, Clothing merchandising, and Airlines.
In the article, Going Mobile? Make It More Than a Marketing Strategy, it’s not enough to provide your employees with tablets, like American Airlines, or to make your website more accessible to tablets, like Fairmont Hotels & Resorts.
This hit home as I was recently at a local restaurant (run by a chef from a large tech company). There are now displays on the tables so that you can order. This isn’t new, but what I noticed was how seamless this was with our server. He knew exactly what we had put in, and allowed us to mix digital with analog. I could easily order an additional item when he came to check on us. If anything, our meal came faster, and having the menu there, it was far too easy to put in a dessert order (upsell?).
Although there is increased discussion about BYOD to manage employee-purchased devices, IT departments will also need to consider customer-purchased or customer-provided devices. Do they provide customers with a standard set, which is easily managed, or allow a customer to connect their own?
From the article:
“More than 60% of the guests to the chain of exclusive hotels check in using an iPad rather than going to the front desk.” Consumers are showing preference for speed and convenience. “Apps let people check flight statuses in transit, find the nearest location of a chain store, or compare prices of goods on a shelf with what is available online or at other retailers.”
The article continues to ask questions so that an organization can begin to think about mobile strategies involving operations and customer support.
Read the full article >>
Beyond employees, to providing mobility to customers >>
Wednesday, October 17th, 2012
Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
ABI Research reported that Wi-Fi enabled device shipments in 2012 will exceed 1.5 billion.
Definitely driven by the smartphone, ABI Research also reports that the “connected home” with Wi-Fi enabled TV is part of that surge, as smartphones and tablets connect to TVs.
“Wi-Fi is expected to become ubiquitous.” And again, is driven by consumers.
Read the press release >>
Wi-Fi enabled device shipments to exceed 1.5 billion this year >>
Wednesday, October 10th, 2012
Karen Ambrose Hickey, Editor
Forrester’s latest report on mobile adoption in the enterprise found that 66% of employees now use two or more devices every day.
Meanwhile, 55% of organizations stated that supporting a larger number of smartphones was a high or critical priority over the next 12 months, while 52% said the same of supporting tablets like Apple’s iPad. Device and app security is the highest concern.
For BYOD policies, 70% of tablet users got to pick their own and 67% of smartphone users. 15% of companies issued the tablets or smartphones directly. 13% of tablets and 15% of smartphones were from a pre-approved list. In our upcoming MObile Workforce Report, we are finding that 30% of employees are getting a work phone from work, 47% have purchased their own for work, but yet another 18% have a work-provided phone and a personal phone.
Get the Forrester report >>
Read more on TechCrunch >>
Participate in the next Mobile Workforce Survey >>
Get the latest Mobile Workforce Report >>
Look at individual-liable Wi-Fi access plans – a “Bring Your Own Network” approach. Try it for 24-hours >>
66% of employees bring two or more devices to work every day [Forrester] >>
