One-third of business professionals and half of IT professionals without a tablet plan to purchase an Android
Most of the attention surrounding the widespread adoption of tablets has focused on Apple’s breakout hit product, the iPad. But a June report by research firm IDG Connect surveying business and IT professionals worldwide found that devices running Google’s Android operating system may be set for higher adoption rates among business clients. The poll found that 74% of business professionals and 69% of IT staff owned tablets.
When the survey examined ownership rates by position, it found the tablet adoption rate for business professionals was highest among directors, at 79%, followed by managers, at 74%. Interestingly, penetration among IT professionals trailed those rates slightly—78% for directors and 70% for managers.
When it came to brands, business professionals with tablets heavily favored Apple: Almost double the number of respondents owned iPads vs. Android devices. Apple had a smaller lead among IT professionals though; 49% owned an iPad, compared with 42% who had an Android. But when those without tablets were asked what type of device they planned to purchase, Android devices were clearly preferred, especially among IT professionals. Among potential buyers, Android devices may be benefitting from a lower price point, which translates to lower replacement costs down the line.
The survey also found that business and IT professionals were very likely to use their tablet for work on at least a weekly basis, regardless of whether they owned an iPad or Android device. Among these users, tablets are not perceived as devices to be used exclusively for either work or pleasure, in contrast to devices like smartphones and notebooks, which are generally thought of as dedicated to either consumer or corporate purposes, but not both.
eMarketer estimates that by the end of this year, nearly 70 million consumers in the US alone will use a tablet at least once per month. More than three-quarters of those will be iPad users.
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