The Rise of the Mobile Empire

April 2015 1You Back, Union Jack? 1

The Rise of the Mobile EmpireAre tablets the new workstation? IT pros weigh in on the future of mobile tech…

Apri l 2015 | #ModernWorkforce

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April 2015 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

00

Desktop Dynasty: A Kingdom in Decline 01The Uprising of the Mobile Workforce 02

Future Ruler: Tablettodius the Great

PAGE 04

PAGE 10

PAGE 16

04

Embrace the Age of Mobility PAGE 20

05

The State of the Tech Kingdom

PAGE 06

Mobile Device Olympics (Benefits & Trials)03PAGE 12

Details on the Data PAGE 22

06

4 The Rise of the Mobile Empire: Are tablets the new workstation? IT pros weigh in on the future of mobile tech… | #ModernWorkforcev-v weWS2003EO

00The State of the Tech Kingdom The citizens of TechVille are predicting the

dawn of a new workday: “Desktops are obsolete.”

“Tablets will replace laptops.” “You can do real

work on smartphones.” Truth, exaggeration, or

wishful thinking? Spiceworks got to the heart of

the matter by asking IT pros what’s really going

on in the workplace.

A new era is upon us, but will mobile truly

reign supreme? Who’s using which technologies

for what? What are the biggest obstacles in

managing such a diverse collection of form

factors and platforms? The masses have

spoken – learn what IT pros envision for the

future of the workstation…

April 2015 5

SURVEY INFO

We asked over 300 IT pros in the U.S. to tell us

how the rising number of laptops, tablets, and

smartphones in the workplace is impacting the

way work gets done. They let us know which

devices their users have, how they’re being used,

and how they expect these trends to

shift in the future.

IT pros also cited some challenges that keep them

from using mobile devices for everything – things

like cost, screen size, and OS compatibility. And

they gave us a closer look at the opportunities

and benefits they think mobile devices will bring

to their organizations. The highlights:

1. The desktop kingdom, while still notable,

is showing signs of decline. Desktops are

often still the primary device for people

who work from a dedicated workspace or

who rely on lots of computing power to

get that work done. But desktop usage is

not expanding for most organizations.

2. What IS growing is the mobile workforce, as

evidenced by the escalating number and

variety of devices people use at work. Many

rely on tablets and smartphones in addition

to desktops – and some have replaced their

desktops entirely. IT pros predict the mobile

empire will continue to spread its reach.

3. The device most likely to replace desktops in

the future? Tablets. But IT pros have some

caveats before they’re willing to look at

tablets as true desktop successors.

The consensus: Employees use devices in different

combinations based on the work they do within

their organizations. They also said that device use

varies by the type of apps used. And while some

say their organizations already take advantage of

the flexibility offered by tablets and smartphones,

a full passing of the torch to mobile devices is still

in progress.

Where’s your organization on the mobile device

spectrum? Do you still rely on desktops for

most of the heavy lifting (as you’re looking

for ways to integrate mobile devices)? Or do

you have an increasingly mobile workforce

that’s driving the need to replace desktops

entirely? How do the features and functionality

of mobile devices fit with the applications you

use and the larger demands of your business?

Read on for a closer look at how and why U.S.

IT pros are rolling out the red carpet for mobile

devices in their organizations.

KEY FINDINGS


01Desktop Dynasty: A Kingdom in Decline When it comes to devices in the workplace,

the landscape can quickly turn into a chaotic

tech arena. The vast majority of IT pros say

their organizations have a company-issued

device policy, but more than half also allow

employees to bring their own devices to work.

Let the mayhem commence! IT pros say that

on average, 63% of employees use desktops

as their primary workhorse, while 30% pri-

marily use laptops – but just 5% primarily

use tablets or smartphones.

Average Percent of Employees Using Each Device as a Primary Device

63%

30%

2% 3% 2%

DesktopsLaptopsSmartphonesTabletsDon’t know

April 2015 7

Device Policies Supported by Organizations

With the crowd roaring for mobile, high desktop

usage may seem surprising. But the findings

suggest those who primarily rely on desktops

work in dedicated workspaces and in roles like

accounting, finance, HR, and customer support.

Of the organizations surveyed, almost 90% report

that their accounting and finance teams use desk-

tops, but only 39% report these same teams

having laptops.

Less than a third of these number crunchers

reportedly use smartphones for work tasks,

and only 7% use tablets. Other heavy desktop

users are those who need access to high-per-

formance computing to do their work, like IT.

This makes sense given the amount of time these

specific roles spend crunching data with spe-

cialized software that demands lots of screen

real estate and high computing performance.

However, the fact that you can now dock both

laptops and tablets for a more desktop-like

experience – including multiple monitors

and full-sized keyboards – should continue to

narrow the gap between desktop and mobile

devices. In other words, the tried and true

chariot is getting smaller… and motorized.

56%

22%

85%

4%

Bring yourown device

Choose your own device

Company issued

Other


Devices Used in Organizations for Business PurposesMultiple device selections permitted

Accounting/Finance

General staff/Faculty

87%

Desktops Laptops Tablets Smartphones

IT

84%

HR/Operations

Executive/Management

Development/Engineering

Marketing

Sales

Research/Development

Legal

Field service

83%

76%

75%

65%

54%

50%

Other

39%

37%

31%

21%

39%

35%

88%

38%

40%

75%

44%

39%

46%

27%

20%

50%

7%

12%

62%

7%

15%

41%

14%

12%

21%

10%

5%

28%

27%

25%

73%

28%

29%

58%

25%

28%

36%

16%

10%

41%

19% 12% 6% 9%

Customer service/Support

Top departments using each type of device

April 2015 9

Despite the continued need for specific types

of users, desktop use is stagnant. Fifty-five

percent of IT pros say their company’s desktop

usage has plateaued over the last three years,

while 25% say they’re relying on them less

and less.

And while they expect to keep using desktops

in the near future, most plan to increase their

use of mobile devices.

Change in Device Usage Within the Past Three Years

Projected Change in Device Usage Within the Next Three Years

Tablets 14%

2%

1%

3%

Tablets 14%

55% 25%17%

5% 4%33%58%

66% 25% 8%

73% 11%

Laptops

Smartphones

Desktops

No change Decreased Don’t knowIncreased

1%

4%

6%17%

2%

75%

62% 31% 6%

47% 41% 8%

15% 49% 35%

Tablets

Smartphones

Laptops

Desktops

1%

No change Decrease Don’t knowIncrease


02The Uprising of the Mobile Workforce

All hail the new mobile regime… well,

sort of. The biggest driver behind the use

of mobile devices: More workers than ever

now reach for the convenience of tablets

and smartphones to stay productive and

connected on the go.

While 66% of organizations currently use

desktops alongside laptops, tablets, and

smartphones, roughly a third are replacing

at least some desktops with mobile devices.

In that sense, the mobile phenomenon really

does signal the dawn of a new age.

How Organizations Use Mobile Devices in Relation to Desktops

Mobile devices used in conjuncton with desktopsMobile devices are replacing some desktopsMobile devices are replacing most desktopsMobile devices are replacing all desktopsDon’t know

66%

22%

8%3% 1%

April 2015 11

Highly mobile employees – from IT pros and

executives to sales teams and field service staff

– may have desktops, but also rely on laptops.

They make heavy use of smartphones and tab-

lets as well. In fact, more IT pros have laptops

(88%) than desktops (83%)… and many also use

smartphones (73%) and tablets (62%) for work.

Mobile usage is also on the rise across the rest

of the organization, particularly when it comes

to tablets.

In the last three years, 73% of organizations

have seen an increase in tablet usage, 66%

have increased smart phone use, and 58%

have increased use of laptops.

Now that we’ve seen who is using mobile

devices in the workplace, let’s take a closer

look at why they’re using them – along with

the challenges and benefits managing these

devices present for IT pro gladiators.


03Mobile Device Olympics (Benefits & Trials)

As the tech civilization grows (and moves), so does the challenge of supporting a wider vari-

ety of form factors and platforms in the workplace. Some software/app workflows are easy to

conduct on mobile and other devices already in use in the organization, but others…less so.

Top Challenges Experienced When Supporting Multiple Types of Devices

65%

62%

59%

54%

52%

Software/app compatibility

Device configuration

Device compatibility

Security compliance/requirements

End-user policy enforcement

April 2015 13

More than half of IT pros surveyed believe mobile

devices will eventually conquer antiquated desk-

tops – but those who disagree cite issues such as

cost, usability, screen size, and performance.

For instance, when we asked respondents to rate

how easy it is to search the Internet and handle

documents on different devices, almost all of them

found desktops and laptops easy to use for all of

these workflows.

Most found it easy to use tablets for searching the

Internet, viewing documents, completing online

forms, and sharing documents. But some found

tablets difficult to use for document creation,

editing, and storage, and few found it easy to use

smartphones for much beyond online searches

and basic communication.

One thing to note: While storage on mobile devices

might be a drawback today, it may become less of an

issue as cloud storage is more widely adopted.

Ease of Use for Workflows by Device Respondents used a ranking scale from 1 to 5, with percentages of easy to very easy reported below

97% 98% 96% 96% 97% 98% 99%

96%

78%

96% 95% 93% 94% 96% 96%

71%

40%

56%51%

28% 26%

63%

41%

25%

33%

23%

10% 9%

Searching theInternet

Viewingdocuments

Completingonline forms

Sharingdocuments

Saving/Storingdocuments

Creatingdocuments

Editingdocuments



In fact, 73% of organizations surveyed stated

they’d be unlikely to use a smartphone as a

primary device. Why? Most say they’re too small

– in this case, size does matter (and a tiny screen/

no keyboard is definitely… an issue). Others say

smartphones don’t run the applications and

software they need to do their work.

How do tablets rank? Here, the numbers get

interesting. More than three-quarters of respon-

dents would be likely to consider tablets as a

primary work device – but only IF they packed

enough power to perform critical tasks.

Likelihood of Using Tablets or Smartphones as Primary Devices

But enough about the frustrations – what

about the benefits? IT pros who think mobile

devices are likely to replace desktops offer up

a wide range of reasons including mobility

(naturally), flexibility, convenience, OS support,

cloud and SaaS, docking, enhanced perfor-

mance, and lower price points.

Mobile devices are also expanding their territory

into basic office productivity tasks that used

to be the exclusive realm of desktop royalty.

Employees run word processing, spreadsheet,

and presentation software on laptops and

increasingly on tablets – as well as commu-

nication apps, file sharing, and storage.

They use smartphones largely for communi-

cation (email, calendar, IM, text, VoIP/UC, and

web conferencing) and for sharing and storing

files via applications like Dropbox, Google

Drive, Box, and more.

“It’s all about mobility and flexibility. People aren’t just working from their desks anymore, and they need tools that will allow them to be productive wherever they are.”

– IT pro survey respondent

76%

Organization is somewhat to very likely to use tablets as primary work devicesfor at least some workers

27%

Organization is somewhat to very likely to use smartphones as primary work devices for at least some workers

April 2015 15

Types of Professional Software/Applications that Run on Each Type of Device

Basic office productivity

Communication

95%


File sharing/Storage

80%

Economic or financial

HR/Operations

Custom/Proprietary

Customer service/Relationship mgmt

Media & entertainmentcreation

Industry/Verticalspecific

Educational

Engineering

79%

78%

73%

73%

64%

64%

Software engineering

59%

57%

41%

41%

89%

79%

71%

49%

54%

43%

53%

51%

41%

44%

32%

32%

41%

52%

43%

7%

15%

10%

17%

19%

14%

14%

21%

6%

29%

58%

39%

2%

8%

5%

11%

14%

8%

6%

10%

3%

39% 32% 4% 4%

Advanced commercial

Scientific 28% 21% 6% 2%

Top software/applications that run on each type of device


04

A new leader has its sights set on the crown. Half of IT pros think mobile devices will com-

pletely overthrow desktops in the future – and most believe tablets will likely triumph (even

over laptops)! But they don’t see big change right around the corner: less than a quarter

expect to see complete desktop replacement within the next five years, while 31% say it

will take 5-10 years, and 29% envision this change ten years or more down the road. In

other words, mobile will carpe diem… eventually.

Future Ruler: Tablettodius, The Great

April 2015 17

Likelihood of Mobile Devices Replacing Desktops Entirely in the Future Mobile devices include laptops, tablets, and smartphones

Projected Amount of Time When Mobile Devices will Replace Desktops EntirelyAsked of those who believe it’s at least somewhat likely to happen

“ …Our employees already use and prefer the tablets we provide, and use their laptops for quotes and content creation. [If vendors can make] these devices fully


48%

30%

10%

8%4%

Not at all likelySomewhat likelyLikelyVery likelyExtremely likely

Within the next 3 yearsWithin the next 3-5 yearsWithin the next 5-10 yearsBeyond the next 10 yearsDon’t know

9%

14%

31%

29%

17%

capable of easily creating content, I see no need for a laptop or desktop for 90% of our employees’ work tasks.”


IT pros also have some caveats to their pre-

dictions – and some fairly strong preferences

about which OS platform they’d want in order

to view tablets as eventual desktop successors.

Nearly half would prefer Windows, 31% would

prefer Google Android, and 20% would prefer

Apple iOS. According to the survey, IT pros look

to Windows for manageability, to Android for

affordability, and to iOS for security.

“We probably need two more gen- erations of mobile computing hardware before there is feature/ performance parity with desktops. Then you’ll need 2+ refresh cycles to replace legacy desktops.”


April 2015 19

Preferred OS Platform if Smartphones or Tablets Replaced Desktops

Smartphone and Tablet OS Perceptions

49%

31%

20%

Microsoft WindowsGoogle AndroidApple iOS

41%

Microsoft Windows Google Android Apple iOS

Easiest to manage Most secure Best value

9%

74%

17%

52%

23%25%25%

34%

20 The Rise of the Mobile Empire: Are tablets the new workstation? IT pros weigh in on the future of mobile tech… | #TBD#dv v weWS2003EO

05

If you’ve been wondering exactly how

mobile devices fit into your arena (a.k.a.,

workplace), we hope this report gives you

some useful information to consider. Based

on responses from the IT pros we surveyed,

mobile devices are rising both in demand and

usefulness, and it’s worth it to work through

the challenges of incorporating them into your

IT infrastructure. The reward is the flexibility

and convenience of devices that can be easily

used away from the office to not only check

email and search online, but also to dock on-

site for more intensive tasks.

However your organization uses mobile tech

today, we urge you to continue looking for

ways to match mobile to the way your organi-

zation functions – and vice versa.

As vendors continue to refine and expand

the form factors, compatibility, and power

of laptops, tablets, and smartphones, mobile

devices will thrive and revolutionize the way

employees navigate the workday. Best part:

You’ll be positioned to take advantage of all

the benefits these devices have to offer as

you seamlessly adapt… to the grand new

mobile regime.

Embrace the Age of Mobility

“We are nearly there now, and I can only see us going further in the future.”



06You’ve just read Spiceworks’ version of data

gone spicy: Our answer to humdrum data. We

tackle the tech issues of today… and what’s

coming soon to a server room near you. And

we deliver it all with more originality and

spice than your typical run-of-the-mill reports.

Drawing from a user base of more than 6 mil-

lion IT pros, it’s a glimpse into tech you can’t

get anywhere else. This research in particular

was conducted in February 2015.

Details on the Data

Region

100% United States

April 2015 23

Industry

Company Size

12%

IT serviceprovider

11%

Manufacturing

10%

Education Non profit

10%

Healthcare

9% 7%

Government

6%

Finance

17%

1-19 employees20-49 employees50-99 employees100-249 employees250-499 employees

16%

20%

23%

11%

13%

500+ employees

This report was sponsored by Samsung Business.

As a global leader in enterprise mobility and information technology, Samsung Business provides a diverse

portfolio of enterprise technologies including smartphones, wearables, tablets, digital displays, hospitality TVs,

printers and medical diagnostic equipment. We are committed to putting the business customer at the core of

everything we do by delivering comprehensive products, solutions and services across diverse industries including

retail, healthcare, hospitality, education and government. For more information, please visit Samsung.com/

business or follow Samsung Business via Twitter @SamsungBizUSA.


http://www.samsung.com/business

http://www.samsung.com/business

https://twitter.com/SamsungBizUSA



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This report contains information of fact relating to parties other than Spiceworks. Although the information has been obtained from, and is based on sources that Spiceworks believes to be reliable, Spiceworks does not guarantee the accuracy, and any such information might be incomplete or condensed. Any estimates included in this report constitute Spiceworks’ judgment as of the date of compilation, and are subject to change without notice. This report is for information purposes only. All responsibility for any interpretations or actions based on the information or commentary contained within this report lie solely with the recipient. All rights reserved. 2015.

About Spiceworks Voice of IT®

The Spiceworks Voice of IT market insights program publishes stats, trends and opinions collected from technology professionals that are among the more than 6 million users of Spiceworks. Survey panelists opt-in to answer questions on technology trends important to them. To find out more about our research capabilities, email [email protected].

About Spiceworks

Spiceworks is the professional network 6 million IT professionals use to connect with one another and over 3,000 technology brands. The company simplifies how IT professionals discover, buy and manage more than $600 billion in technology products and services each year. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Spiceworks is backed by Adams Street Partners, Austin Ventures, Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), Goldman Sachs, Shasta Ventures and Tenaya Capital. For more information www.spiceworks.com.

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Credits Research: Tracy Peto, Jace Recio Copy & editing: Mary Summerall, Lisa Young, Andrew Baron, Priscilla Brave Illustration & design: Julian Hector, Clarice Bajkowski

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April 2015 25