The proportion of businesses in Australia using tablets is set to increase to 31% (from 23% currently) in the next 12 months, with the number of tablets in business use growing by at least 50%, according to research firm Roy Morgan Research.
At the end of 2012, 23% of businesses in Australia were using tablets. However not all industries have embraced this new technology at the same rate; while 37% of information, media and telecommunications businesses are already using tablets, only 13% of agricultural businesses have a tablet. the research firm found.
Different industries also have widely differing rates of intending to take up tablets. Information, media and technology businesses are the most likely to buy or replace tablets in the next 12 months (21%), followed by wholesale trade businesses (18%), education and training businesses (17%) and professional, scientific and technical services (17%).
The number of tablets in use by business is likely to increase by more than 50% over the next 12 months, with most of the sales likely to be to either Micro businesses with less than five employees, or Large businesses (those with more than 200 employees).
Roy Morgan Research director of business research Nigel Smith said, "While Apple's iPad has clearly been the leading consumer tablet to date, there are reasons to doubt that it will maintain its dominant position as tablet usage extends into the business market. Microsoft, Google, Samsung and BlackBerry are all developing products to compete in this space, and with the current rate of growth in the market, any one of them may develop the combination of productivity applications, price and ease of use that either displaces Apple as the tablet market leader, or Microsoft as the office software market leader. The business tablet market is Apple's to lose."
Article translated by Alex Wolfgram
