What Are the Costs of Mobile Computing?

Mobile costs

Assessing the True Costs of Mobile Computing

The total cost of mobile computing is more than 100 percent higher than most IT professionals anticipate because it includes many often-forgotten factors.

Type of Mobile Computing Devices in Use

Apple iOS devices are the most widely used, at 39%, followed by Android (28%) and Windows (23%) devices.

TCO Comparisons

When all cost are fully loaded, Android devices have the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) while Windows devices have the highest.

The True Cost of Mobile Computing

In the United States, the actual total cost of ownership per device is $1,840—116% more than commonly expected—which equates to $51.9 billion in total spend for American businesses.

Controllable Mobile Computing Costs

About $987 of costs per mobile computing device, including services, security and IT support, are not being taken into account when calculating the TCO of enterprise mobility. On average, $407 in the United States could be saved per device annually through various controls. Total cost savings in the United States could be $11.5 billion.

Carrier Costs

“Bill shocks” from unexpected carrier charges are the second-greatest single contributor to overall total cost of ownership for the largest companies globally—14% of TCO.

Replacement Costs

On an annualized basis, replacement costs from $300 to $400 per device used, depending on the size of the company and volume of devices purchased and supported.

Cost of IT Services

Costs associated with products/services spanning everything, from mobile device management to telecommunications expense management software, range from just under $100 to more than $200 per device on an annualized basis.

IT Support Costs

On an annualized basis, cost per device can range between just under $200 to more than $400, depending on the number of devices supported.

Mobile Security Breaches

Nearly three in 10 (28%) of U.S. companies report having suffered a mobile breach in the last 12 months—with the cost of remedying the breach at $40,000 to $400,000.