Enterprise mobility — the use of cloud solutions and mobile devices in business — has had a significant impact on how work gets done today. Employees are no longer tied to an office or local network; theoretically, they can access everything they need from any location in the world. The popularity of enterprise mobility will continue to grow in 2015. During the coming year, we predict that we will see the following trends.
- More companies will formalize their bring-your-own-device policies. In 2014, Gartner surveyed 4,300 employees of large corporations and found that 40 percent of them used their personal devices for work-related tasks. Almost half of them reported that their employers were not aware that they did so. The need to keep enterprise data secure will drive more businesses to institute formal BYOD policies — and enforce them.
- Applications will need to support a greater variety of devices. Forrester Research polls found that 56 percent of employees used at least three different personal devices for work, while 22 percent used two. During 2015, enterprises will move to support four or five devices running on a minimum of two platforms.
- Mobile payments will gain additional support. Although mobile payments have had substantial acceptance in some parts of Europe and Asia, the concept has not been as well-received in the U.S. However, 2015 could well be the year during which mobile payments begin to take off in the U.S.
- IBM and Apple will have some surprises for the market. The 2014 announcement that IBM and Apple had entered into an enterprise mobility partnership created a lot of discussion in the tech world. Since that announcement, however, both companies have been unusually quiet. Although this could mean that the partnership is going through some rough waters, it could also mean that the partners are busy working on a game-changing product.
Overall, expect to see more apps developed for enterprise mobility as well as additional accessories, such as wearable devices. Companies will continue to refine their mobile apps for marketing, field services management and customer connectivity.
If you would like to learn more about what to expect in 2015, call or email PhaseAlpha. Our email is info@phasealpha.com , and our phone number is 913-648-9200. We have the skills and experience to guide you through the complexities of enterprise mobility as well as assist you with all of your IT-related needs.