Apple Devices Gaining Ground In Business And Education; Easier To Manage Than Competition – Jamf Survey

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Jamf, which provides Apple device management support for more than 10,000 small business, education institutions, and a growing presence of Macs, iPads and iPhones in the enterprise environment, has released its third annual global survey of IT professionals on Apple adoption across enterprise, K-12 and higher education organizations. The survey results reveal once again that user choice is driving Apple adoption in business and education, and that Apple devices are easier to manage than rival platforms, such as Windows PC, Chromebook, and Android.

Apple Adoption Prevalent In The Enterprise

The Jamf survey finds that consistent with Apple reports, its products are gaining ground in the enterprise, with 91 percent of businesses surveyed using Macs and 99 percent using iPhone, iPad or both. User preference is driving Apple’s penetration in the enterprise, and this demand for Apple is being met through device choice programs. Nearly half of organizations surveyed (44 percent) offer employees a choice between Mac and PC, with the majority (71 percent) offering a choice between iPhone and other mobile device brands.

The survey analysts observe that that IT departments today are clearly managing mixed-device environments. When asked how managing Apple devices stack up against the competition, IT professionals surveyed ranked Mac and iOS devices as easy, if not easier, to manage than other device brands.

Key Enterprise Survey Findings include:

  • 99 percent of companies now have iOS devices in use; 91 percent have Mac users.
  • Usage of Mac (74 percent) and iOS (76 percent) devices increased over the previous year.
  • Mac is as easy or easier to manage than PC on five critical tasks: deployment (62 percent), security (66 percent), device configuration (58 percent), software and app deployment (57 percent), and support (63 percent).
  • iOS is as easy or easier to manage than other mobile devices when doing the following: deployment (93 percent), security (90 percent), device configuration (91 percent), software and app deployment (90 percent), and support (89 percent).

Apple Leading the Charge in Education

Apple devices are also prominent in education. Seventy percent of K-12 schools use Mac, while a substantial 90 percent use iPads to enhance education outcomes. The story is similar in higher education, with an even greater percentage (80 percent) using Mac and 94 percent leveraging iPad. Growth of Mac and iPad devices in education is attributed to user preference, better security and overall less maintenance.

Similar to the enterprise, the education sector agrees that Mac and iPad are easier to manage than other devices, with K-12 and higher education respondents believing that Mac and iPad management is even easier than their commercial counterparts.

Summary of Key K-12 Education Survey Findings:

  • 90 percent of K-12 schools use iOS devices; 70 percent use Mac.
  • Usage of Mac (83 percent) and iPad (81 percent) increased in K-12 in 2016.
  • Security (55 percent), less maintenance (48 percent), and user preference (46 percent) are the top three factors driving Mac adoption in K-12.
  • Mac is easier to manage than PC on five critical tasks in K-12: deployment (76 percent), security (75 percent), device configuration (69 percent), software and app deployment (66 percent), and support (69 percent).
  • iPad is easier to manage than other tablets when doing the following: deployment (77 percent), security (65 percent), device configuration (71 percent), software and app deployment (66 percent), and support (66 percent).

Summary of Key Higher Education Survey Findings:

  • 94 percent of higher education organizations have iOS users; 80 percent use Mac.
  • 87 percent of higher education institutions saw an increase in both Mac adoption and iPad adoption over the previous year.
  • User preference (64 percent), security (51 percent), and less maintenance (45 percent) are the top three factors driving Mac adoption in higher education.
  • Mac is easier to manage than PC in higher education on five critical tasks: deployment (65 percent), security (64 percent), device configuration (53 percent), software and app deployment (54 percent), and support (61 percent).
  • iPad is easier to manage than other tablets when doing the following in higher education: deployment (60 percent), security (52 percent), device configuration (56 percent), software and app deployment (56 percent), and support (53 percent).

To access free copies of the reports, visit:

Managing Apple Devices in the Enterprise

Managing Apple Devices in K-12 Education

Managing Apple Devices in Higher Education

“The 2016 Apple Trends Survey confirms what Jamf has been seeing for some time,” said Dave Alampi, vice president of product management and marketing, Jamf. “Not only is Apple gaining momentum in the enterprise due to user preference, but IT is finding that with the right mobile device management solution, Mac, iPhone and iPad are easier to manage and enable a better overall experience for users.”

Survey Methodology

This survey — conducted in January 2017 by Dimensional Research — is based on the responses from nearly 300 commercial business, 300 K-12, and 300 higher education IT professionals, managers and executives from small, medium, and large organizations around the world.

For more information, visit:
https://www.jamf.com

Source: Jamf

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