ChangeWave: Business iPad Adoption to Increase in Q1 2011

There are a lot of folks talking these days — us included — about the iPad invading the business and enterprise space. Now, market research backs up that claim. For instance, a ChangeWave Research study examines potential tablet adoption for the first quarter of 2011. Unsurprisingly (or surprisingly, depending on how you feel) the iPad rocketed to the top of both satisfaction and planned purchase strategies. Read on for the details …

First up are the competitors: The HP Slate 500 and the Dell Streak were seen as potential corporate tablets of choice, but the iPad remains the most popular for business purposes, according to the survey, which comprised more than 1,500 IT buyers. The Slate garnered a mere 11 percent in the popularity category, trailed by the Streak at just 7 percent.

But let’s put those numbers in perspective: ChangeWave reported that only 7 percent of surveyed companies currently distribute corporate tablet devices, though the number is expected to jump to 14 percent by 2011.

With usage expected to skyrocket, many companies are planning on making Q1 2011 their tablet quarter. And here’s the kicker — 78 percent of those companies that plan on buying tablets for Q1 plan on buying the iPad. Why would that be? Well, among companies surveyed that already are using tablets, the iPad registers with the highest level of satisfaction among corporate users — 69 percent. That pales in comparison to a mere 23 percent of HP tablet users, and 12 percent of Dell users who are highly satisfied.

And in case you’re wondering what corporate users are doing with their iPads, it’s exactly what you’d expect: corporate e-mail, road work and Internet access.

Here are the bigger implications: Companies aren’t waiting around for CES 2011 for companies to show off their new tablets (or don’t care), and businesses aren’t waiting around for RIM’s Blackberry Playbook to make a real-world debut. The numbers clearly show that most companies want to go with what works and what people already enjoy and understand.

A happy employee is a happy worker. Now if only we could get Apple’s attention to discuss its channel strategy …

Meanwhile, VARs and resellers should work on developing their relationships with distributors who pack iPads in their arsenal. It could be a good year.

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