A recent report from Deloitte sheds light on the growing prevalence of iPhones in the business realm, while also highlighting a common trend among users who often underestimate the full productivity potential of these phones. Although smartphones are conventionally used for communication purposes, the report underscores that their capabilities as portable computing tools are frequently overlooked.
This observation underscores the reality that many information workers who heavily rely on iPhones may not be fully exploiting the capabilities of their devices for working purposes. While iPhones are commonly employed for personal activities like online shopping and bill payments, they are often underutilized for work-centric functions such as managing expenses and editing documents.
This situation represents a missed chance, especially in our progressively digital world in which technology assumes a pivotal role. The author acknowledges that the shift to remote work may be reshaping this trend, as more individuals are compelled to use their electronic devices for work-related purposes.
However, the author emphasizes the need for continuous efforts to enhance the employee experience with technology as well. This implies that employers should aim to gain a deeper understanding of how employees interact with technology and provide the necessary tools and resources to unlock the full potential of these devices.
A persistent journey
The disconnect highlighted here is an ongoing procedure that may reveal an untapped benefit in terms of productivity. Roger Lay, Director of Mobile Enterprise at Deloitte Digital, believes that the increasing use of smartphones for administrative tasks holds substantial potential for enhancing reducing costs, efficiency, and maintaining competitiveness. This perspective aligns with the viewpoint of SAP Mobile Experience Product Manager, Martin Lang, who has long advocated for the expanded use of mobile devices and Macs.
A change in perspective?
Upon closer examination, numerous fascinating and innovative applications come to light. Flight crews from different airlines use iPhones for passenger experience management during flights, while in Tokyo, iPads and iPhones are employed for maintenance of subway tunnel. Mobile devices have also been utilized for signing delivery receipts.
Apple's original vision was to "completely rethink mobile, to enable the things we knew that people wanted to do, including at work," as articulated by Susan Prescott, the current Vice President for Worldwide Developer Relations and Enterprise and Education Marketing at Apple.
Shifting IT spending trends
The trajectory of IT expenditure is expected to move away from hardware and towards software, cloud services, security, and IT services in the coming year.
Navigating challenges
Additionally, there are hurdles that require attention. For example, the seamless integration of Apple Pay for corporate users could be significantly enhanced if the IT department could provision remote devices with temporary company credit cards, especially for employees during business trips.
It would be beneficial if Apple could develop a system to enable iCloud Keychain support for enterprises that utilize Managed Apple IDs. This would provide a simple and convenient means to synchronize Managed Apple IDs in working environments where the using of personal Apple ID is common, offering advantages to numerous companies.
Additionally, the inaccessibility of Apple Business Essentials for many non-US corporations raises concerns and queries from tens of thousands of companies all over the world.
Setting these issues aside, the primary challenge in the process of digital transformation, as I believe, is leadership.