1. The Workforce Is More Mobile

1. The Workforce Is More Mobile

If smartphones have done anything for the corporate world, they have made employees more mobile. Gone are the days when employees are able to step away from the office and untethered. Nowadays, workers are expected to be productive no matter where they are. And the enterprise has smartphones to thank for that.

2. Security Concerns

With smartphones comes the threat of new security problems. Smartphones are being used by millions across the globe. And the average malicious hacker or cyber criminal is increasingly looking towards those devices to capitalize. For companies, that means they need to keep a watchful eye on smartphone data security to ensure they don’t see important information leak out into the wrong hands.

3. Apps, Apps, Apps

Mobile applications have become central to the success of smartphones over the past couple years, due mainly to the efforts of Google and Apple. But along with apps comes more concerns for companies. Not only do they need to think about the security of those programs, but they must also consider the impact apps might have on productivity. On one hand, they might help improve productivity. But if app use isn’t properly managed, employees could start downloading something like games and spend less time getting work done. Simply put, apps can be both good and bad for corporate customers.

4. Productivity

Productivity can mean the difference between success and failure in the corporate world. The company that has more of it will be a success, while the firm with less productivity from employees will fail. And once again, smartphones can both improve and reduce productivity. They make people more accessible and capable of working while on-the-go, but they also can distract folks from the work at hand. When productivity is a concern, smartphones must be managed properly.

5. Data Plan Charges

When companies started bringing smartphones into their operation, they started incurring voice charges. Over the past several years, they’ve been forced to deal with data charges on top of that. And with 4G becoming more and more popular, it’s quite possible that the amount of money firms spend on mobile data will only go up.

6. Savings On Computers?

As smartphones become more capable, IT decision-makers are rethinking their PC-buying efforts. Admittedly, smartphones aren’t necessarily a replacement for computers. However, for those employees that need only to check e-mail and perform basic tasks, getting them a high-end smartphone, while having them keep their outdated PC might be a fine option. Smartphones simply give IT decision-makers more options when it comes time to buy new PCs.

7. Apple’s Entrance

The enterprise was one market where Apple hasn’t been so successful. For one, the company didn’t see much value in appealing to corporate desire. At the same time, the enterprise has been inundated with products that were more appealing than Apple’s alternatives. But the iPhone has been different. Apple’s smartphone has been the Trojan it needed to gain some corporate support. And it’s causing IT decision-makers to think differently about the company.

8. Google’s Entrance

If Apple has made inroads into the enterprise, so has Google. That company was a non-player in the corporate world just a couple short years ago, and now, it’s making a serious play for the space with its Android platform. Moreover, it continues to capitalize on the market with its advertising service. Simply put, Google is getting serious about the enterprise, and corporate customers are being forced to listen.

9. Training Considerations

Training is something that companies around the world are constantly thinking about when bringing new technologies into their operation. Not only do they need to show employees how to use devices, but they also must inform them of what they can and cannot do with those products. The addition of next-gen smartphones has caused even more training concerns for companies. And it’s something that won’t go away anytime soon.

10. Microsoft’s Decline

The smartphone market has changed the enterprise in one significant way: it has proven that Microsoft can’t just dominate every space that it finds itself in. Quite the contrary, the software giant’s recent failures in the smartphone market have proven that it can be supplanted. And that has significantly changed the way enterprise customers view the software giant.