Report: Cloud will drive tablets to displace laptops for on-the-go work

Egnyte, a self-proclaimed leading provider of hybrid cloud file server solutions, has published a new report which suggests that iPad still rules over Android tablets in enterprise, while adding that the tablet could eventually displace the laptop as the on-the-go device.

The firm’s report looked into tablet and mobile phone usage among businesses in Q4 of last year, and found that two-thirds of iOS use (iPhone and iPad) occurred during working hours (8am to 6pm). iOS devices comprised nearly 70% (40% iPad, 28% iPhone) of overall mobile cloud file sharing in the workplace, more than double that of Android based products (28%).The study looked into the unique IT-based solutions offered for businesses, and not into the freemium products for consumers. Egnyte said that the results reflected businesses which are paying customers.Interestingly, US holiday data from the firm showed that usage over Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas remained consistent with regular non-holiday weekends, seemingly illustrating that professionals continue to work on mobile devices when on holiday. Thanksgiving saw the highest tablet activity for a weekend at 2% of monthly usage, while non-holiday weekends typically ranged from 1.2% to 2.1% of traffic, according to the company."The number of tablets in the enterprise has grown exponentially in a very short period of time," said Vineet Jain, CEO of Egnyte. "Egnyte use data suggests that iPads and iPhones are the dominant tool to access the cloud, at nearly double the rate of Android. This is very likely caused by a dramatic increase in productivity applications and acceptance of the cloud in the enterprise.""When combined, this trend will propel tablets to displace laptops as the device to use when on the go, whether for taking notes at an office meeting or for presentations in the field."

By Doug Drinkwater, TabTimes January 31, 2012