Most small & medium business plan to buy Apple iPads in next 12 months
A new survey of small- and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. found that 73 percent plan to buy tens of thousands of dollars worth of tablets in the next 12 months, and most of those purchases will be Apple's iPad.
The NPD Group polled American businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees about their intent to buy tablets over the next year, and found nearly three quarters intend to bring touchscreen tablets into the workplace. Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD, said businesses are "determined" to embrace tablets, and Apple's iPad remains the top choice in the enterprise.
"The iPad, just as it is in the consumer market, is synonymous for 'Tablet' in the business market, leaving Apple poised to take advantage of the increased spending intentions of these SMBs (small and medium businesses)," Baker said. "NPD's research shows that iPad purchase preference is higher among larger firms than smaller ones, which is an important indicator that Apple is gaining traction far outside its typical consumer space."
Tablet buying intentions are highest among larger companies with between 501 and 999 employees, where 89 percent of businesses will buy a tablet, and spend an average of $38,749. The average small- and medium-sized business is expected to spend more than $21,000 on tablets in the next year.
The survey also shows that an overwhelming majority -- 90 percent -- of firms polled plan to maintain or increase their spending on tablets over the next year.
The latest NPD data comes from its quarterly SMB Technology Monitor survey. The questions were fielded in September of 2011, and firms with fewer than 1,000 employees answered questions about purchase intentions for tablets, PCs, mobile phones, networking and more.
Apple officials have repeatedly boasted about the success the iPad has seen in the enterprise over a short time. In each of the company's quarterly earnings conference calls, executives have revealed adoption rates among Fortune 500 companies, and in October it was said that 90 percent of the Fortune 500 were deploying or testing the iPad, just 18 months since it first debuted.
Another survey revealed by Good Technology in October found that the iPad represented nearly all of enterprise tablet adoptions. The iPad represented 96 percent of tablet activations tracked by the company, while Android represented just 4 percent of activations in the third quarter of 2011.
The NPD Group polled American businesses with fewer than 1,000 employees about their intent to buy tablets over the next year, and found nearly three quarters intend to bring touchscreen tablets into the workplace. Stephen Baker, vice president of industry analysis at NPD, said businesses are "determined" to embrace tablets, and Apple's iPad remains the top choice in the enterprise.
"The iPad, just as it is in the consumer market, is synonymous for 'Tablet' in the business market, leaving Apple poised to take advantage of the increased spending intentions of these SMBs (small and medium businesses)," Baker said. "NPD's research shows that iPad purchase preference is higher among larger firms than smaller ones, which is an important indicator that Apple is gaining traction far outside its typical consumer space."
Tablet buying intentions are highest among larger companies with between 501 and 999 employees, where 89 percent of businesses will buy a tablet, and spend an average of $38,749. The average small- and medium-sized business is expected to spend more than $21,000 on tablets in the next year.
The survey also shows that an overwhelming majority -- 90 percent -- of firms polled plan to maintain or increase their spending on tablets over the next year.
The latest NPD data comes from its quarterly SMB Technology Monitor survey. The questions were fielded in September of 2011, and firms with fewer than 1,000 employees answered questions about purchase intentions for tablets, PCs, mobile phones, networking and more.
Apple officials have repeatedly boasted about the success the iPad has seen in the enterprise over a short time. In each of the company's quarterly earnings conference calls, executives have revealed adoption rates among Fortune 500 companies, and in October it was said that 90 percent of the Fortune 500 were deploying or testing the iPad, just 18 months since it first debuted.
Another survey revealed by Good Technology in October found that the iPad represented nearly all of enterprise tablet adoptions. The iPad represented 96 percent of tablet activations tracked by the company, while Android represented just 4 percent of activations in the third quarter of 2011.
Comments
Think there's a typo in that statement... shouldn't "top" read "only"?
<...>
"The iPad, just as it is in the consumer market, is synonymous for 'Tablet' in the business market, <...>
Which means that businesses may in fact consider another tablet, if it offers more suitable capabilities.
Which means that businesses may in fact consider another tablet, if it offers more suitable capabilities.
How do you get that out of what you quoted?
How do you get that out of what you quoted?
Wishfulfillment is a powerful delusion.
How do you get that out of what you quoted?
In an query, a business owner may have used "iPad" as a generic term for a tablet. When they are about to make the purchase, they are likely to consider features and price, and may end up buying an alternative product.
In an query, a business owner may have used "iPad" as a generic term for a tablet. When they are about to make the purchase, they are likely to consider features and price, and may end up buying an alternative product.
this is a possibility, but as the iPad is outselling all the other tablets put together, is unlikely.
My only criticism of my iPad is the lack of its own junk filtering in Apple's mail system. If my Mac is asleep and hasn't yet filtered the iPad gets the lot. Wake my Mac up and in seconds the iPad's mail junk automatically cleared. It shouldn't require the Mac to do this. This needs to be server side if not built into the iPad. Some one tell me I can do this but have it set up wrong and I will try not to shoot myself.
this is a possibility, but as the iPad is outselling all the other tablets put together, is unlikely.
It was, according to the last stats, but things may change. Especially in regard to businesses, which may have specific requirements better met by other tablets.
In an query, a business owner may have used "iPad" as a generic term for a tablet. When they are about to make the purchase, they are likely to consider features and price, and may end up buying an alternative product.
Your logic is a bit suspect. If the questionnaire respondent is using iPad as a generic term for tablet it also could be concluded he / she would do the same on an order form
It was, according to the last stats, but things may change. Especially in regard to businesses, which may have specific requirements better met by other tablets.
I don't find your comments insightful in any way, of course business needs and requirements can and do change, as do consumers, otherwise we'd all be driving around in Model T Fords and playing gramophone records.
The point is as of now, businesses are deciding that Apple is offering the best product for their current and anticipated needs.
Furthermore, competing tablets have failed to meet those needs despite offering successive varieties of tablets.
It was, according to the last stats, but things may change. Especially in regard to businesses, which may have specific requirements better met by other tablets.
This is so general as to be meaningless, and could be said about any purchasing decision, no matter how entrenched or overwhelmingly preferred a given option might be.
I don't find your comments insightful in any way, of course business needs and requirements can and do change, as do consumers, otherwise we'd all be driving around in Model T Fords and playing gramophone records...
This is so general as to be meaningless, and could be said about any purchasing decision, no matter how entrenched or overwhelmingly preferred a given option might be.
You're taking my last post outside of the context of my first one, where I specifically made the point that saying "I am planning to buy an iPad" may actually mean "I am planning to buy any tablet", because of iPad becoming a generic term for a lightweight tablet. Thus, this declaration cannot be taken at face value as an intention to buy an iPad.
I meet tons of people who continue to call Android phones iPhones and just don't care if you correct them. Despite the iPhone being far more popular in general, far more Android phones are being sold.
Finally, if you don't like my comment then just ignore them, sheesh...
So, I use my iPad to log in to my work email when I am not in the office...
Its great to not have to log in on my desktop through citrix for little things. But other than that, I am at a loss on how I would use it. Don't get me wrong, I can see plenty of uses for it, especially mobile purchasing..
I am just curious, how is everyone else using it? I am an accountant, so for me if a device doesn't have excel and a 10 key I can't figure out how to be productive with it.
You seem to contradict yourself, you've already found some productive uses for it (if it helps you in your job, is that not productive?) yet you're at a loss as to how you would use it.
As for your being productive for your needs, you can always get:
Apple Numbers for iPad, a spreadsheet which can work with Excel sheets
and the
Microsoft Bluetooth Number Pad
so you have an Excel (compatible) spreadsheet and a 10 key to be productive with it.
It's all about making the best use of each tool for the task at hand, just because it's not useful for your field doesn't mean others can't make good use of it in their field.
You're taking my last post outside of the context of my first one, where I specifically made the point that saying "I am planning to buy an iPad" may actually mean "I am planning to buy any tablet", because of iPad becoming a generic term for a lightweight tablet. Thus, this declaration cannot be taken at face value as an intention to buy an iPad.
I meet tons of people who continue to call Android phones iPhones and just don't care if you correct them. Despite the iPhone being far more popular in general, far more Android phones are being sold.
Finally, if you don't like my comment then just ignore them, sheesh...
These are just questions raised by you, concern trollish questions. You didn't poll these businesses, you didn't design the poll and you didn't tally the results.
You make a lot of assumptions and suppositions, but you don't know for a fact what these businesses answered for. They said they would be buying iPads and I take them to know what they are talking about. Stupid people don't run businesses. They, by and large, know what they want and what they are going to spend money on to help them run their business so as to be profitable.
Great questions, but that's all they are. Show me another poll that differentiates and then we'll talk.
You're taking my last post outside of the context of my first one, where I specifically made the point that saying "I am planning to buy an iPad" may actually mean "I am planning to buy any tablet", because of iPad becoming a generic term for a lightweight tablet. Thus, this declaration cannot be taken at face value as an intention to buy an iPad.
I meet tons of people who continue to call Android phones iPhones and just don't care if you correct them. Despite the iPhone being far more popular in general, far more Android phones are being sold.
Finally, if you don't like my comment then just ignore them, sheesh...
And you are ignoring my reply to you. If someone says iPad meaning any tablet then they may well order an iPad meaning any tablet. They are either clueless, don't care or really mean an iPad ... all three options would tend towards the probability being increased they get an iPad. The idea that some one would say iPad but know they are really going to order some half assed cheap Android copy is less likely IMHO since they'd be the exact type who would never say iPad if they didn't mean it ...
Of course they will also be using that app for other things as well, so the iPads will be used outside of the Kiosk too.
These are just questions raised by you, concern trollish questions. You didn't poll these businesses, you didn't design the poll and you didn't tally the results.
You make a lot of assumptions and suppositions, but you don't know for a fact what these businesses answered for. They said they would be buying iPads and I take them to know what they are talking about. Stupid people don't run businesses. They, by and large, know what they want and what they are going to spend money on to help them run their business so as to be profitable.
Great questions, but that's all they are. Show me another poll that differentiates and then we'll talk.
Fair enough. I don't actually know what the questions were. For example, I don't know if people were asked whether they would buy iPad 2 or Asus Transformer Prime.
And you are ignoring my reply to you. If someone says iPad meaning any tablet then they may well order an iPad meaning any tablet. They are either clueless, don't care or really mean an iPad ... all three options would tend to the probability being increased they get an iPad. The idea that some one would say iPad but know they are really going to order some half assed cheap Android copy is less likely IMHO since they'd the exact type who would never say iPad if they didn't mean it ...
Well, you should talk with Psych_guy above about whether business people are stupid and buy stuff by mistake. And no, I wasn't talking about cheap Android copies, but about high range tablets that are sometimes more expensive than the iPad but offer things like USB ports, optional keyboards, additional connectivity, external storage, higher resolution, more memory and CPU power, etc...
Well, you should talk with Psych_guy above about whether business people are stupid and buy stuff by mistake. And no, I wasn't talking about cheap Android copies, but about high range tablets that are sometimes more expensive than the iPad but offer things like USB ports, optional keyboards, additional connectivity, external storage, higher resolution, more memory and CPU power, etc...
If someone says iPad using at as a generic term I'd suggest they are not very techie OR really mean iPad. I seriously doubt they are the type of person that would be in the market for what you describe which would most probably mean a techie geek who is anti-Apple. That is my whole point, your premise is flawed in the original post you made on the subject.
Your logic is a bit suspect. If the questionnaire respondent is using iPad as a generic term for tablet it also could be concluded he / she would do the same on an order form
Additionally, it seems no one is confusing iPads with other tablets at the cash register.