iPad to Enterprise: "Beam me up!"

Apple’s strategy to increase iPad sales is working, and the trend will continue, according to a market analysis survey conducted by Piper Jaffray, and published yesterday.

Apple’s focus on enterprise customers, thanks to its major partnership move with IBM, is key to a huge comeback of the Apple iPad. Piper Jaffray asked one hundred Chief Information Officers about their predictions of what companies will be purchasing in 2015, and an overwhelming majority of respondents reported plans of buying tablets for their staff, and 98% of the CIOs interviewed said they were already supporting iOS devices within their organizations.

Apple is in a phenomenal position to cater to enterprise customers, with an already impressive range of iOS apps for businesses, and a dedicated business-centric environment, supported by an industry leader such as IBM.

Apple and IBM launched their first batch of business apps last December, spanning across all major industries, from retail and wholesale, to aerospace and corporate, right on schedule with their “Mobile First” strategy, announced in early Summer of 2014.

Will the enterprise trend affect consumers?

The chances that Apple’s enterprise strategy will prompt consumers to buy iPads, are likely to improve, as more devices are deployed to employees, consumers will certainly notice the iconic tablets when shopping.

Positioning the iPad as a “tool of the trade”, reinforces the perception of reliability, especially when payment transactions are carried out on the device itself, as it often happens at mobile carrier outlets like Verizon and AT&T.

We have also seen a diversification of Apple’s mobile strategy, over the years, offering intermediate sizes between devices, i.e. the iPad Mini. Enterprise mobility is all about devices that are flexible and versatile, both in retail and in office settings, and Apple has positioned itself very well as a brand that can truly “do it all”.