Ownership of mobile devices has increased rapidly over the years, where businesses have seen its importance in reaching their target market and in encouraging productivity for those employees continuously on the go. In 2013 research by Gartner, predicted that 50% of employers will require employees to supply their own mobile devices for work by 2017.
“BYOD strategies are the most radical change to the economics and the culture of client computing in business in decades,” said Gartner’s VP and distinguished analyst David Willis. “The benefits of BYOD include creating new mobile workforce opportunities, increasing employee satisfaction, and reducing or avoiding costs.”
However, the research revealed that most leaders do not understand its benefits. Mobile devices are still prone to security risks, and it requires a strong IT policy to handle common data usage (cloud, mobile, social, information).
Despite the hesitation, BYOD is said to evolve further, especially in the enterprise sector. Here are more reasons why ‘bring your own device’ will prosper in 2016:
Smarter mobile devices One of the reasons why BYOD will prosper this year is due to the prevalence of smarter mobile devices with productivity features necessary for businesses. Apple is set to take advantage of the BYOD trend, according to The Register. In fact, the resource said that the iPhone currently holds over 59% of the US enterprise market, while the iPad has a 78% share. In addition, the latest Apple handset was reported by O2 to come with advanced security features through the two-way authentication process and built-in productivity suite that are needed by enterprises today.
Other platforms are also boosting their security features and productivity software. Google will compete with their own EMM (enterprise mobility management) functions through Android for Work technology and Microsoft with their cross-platform device and Microsoft Intune.
Upgraded security Currently, the mobile tech industry is still being plagued by security issues. Although, the arrival of new biometric sensor technologies will secure the next wave of smartphones, which are said to be ‘foolproof,’ as the iris scanners are harder to imitate. Fujitsu released the first iris scanning smartphone last year, but Samsung and LG are said to be working on their next premium handsets sporting said security feature. As mobile devices become more secure, it is forecasted that the business sector will become more and more reliant on them in the future.
More apps and cloud resources The approach is no longer about corporate emails and VPN clients, as a plethora of apps and cloud services will be available to companies to connect people to their offices. Some productivity features come pre-built into mobile devices, such as Microsoft 360 for Windows Phones, Google Drive for Android devices, and the Apple Productivity Suite for iPhones and iPads. The most common benefits here are collaboration, better communication, shared tasks, and information repositories. The responsibility now falls in the hands of the IT departments to keep up on what the users need and make the right recommendations they can support.
The most important concept that businesses need to consider is a unified BYOD strategy that the IT department has planned and mapped out. It should define clear guidelines and requirements of usage, as well as ensure that the right processes are in place: administering, monitoring, and support controls. What do you think is coming in the BYOD scheme this year? Read our previous infographic post featuring mobile and desktop usage to see why businesses continue to maximize mobile devices over desktop computers.
About the Author
Writechy has been around the blogging sphere for several of years, specialising in technology, innovation, sci-fi, marketing, business, and even travelling. Given her vast array of knowledge in the said topics, she has been invited to attend youth conferences and tech conventions to share her experience and expertise. Writechy is also a known seasoned globetrotter, travelling across Europe and Asia. She is also into surfing and diving. Watch out for her own blog soon!
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