While Microsoft and other brands have long been the device stalwarts of the workplace, they’re facing increased competition from Apple — the numbers make that clear. If managed services providers (MSPs) pay close attention to how Apple is courting its business customers, capitalizing on Apple’s growth in the enterprise should prove to be profitable.
Undoubtedly, the use of Macs within office environments has steadily climbed in recent years, with IDC reporting that macOS devices now account for 23 percent of laptop devices in the office, up from 19 percent just two years ago. And it wasn’t just laptops that saw growth. According to the same study, Apple devices of all kinds saw a jump in recent years. Additionally, IDC found that iPhones now account for 49 percent of the smartphones used inside U.S. enterprises and that iPads continue to dominate the tablet market for business.
Of course, while there are several reasons for this growth, the pandemic accelerated it. Apple devices saw a concerted jump as employees began to work remotely and leverage devices they had at home. According to one survey of IT decision makers, Mac laptop use in the enterprise climbed 63 percent during this time, representing the most significant reported device increase of any kind. Additionally, 53 percent of decision makers said requests for Apple devices have increased in the past two years. As work-from-home and hybrid work policies grow in popularity, the influx of Apple devices in the workplace will certainly continue.
Another reason why Apple devices are becoming increasingly popular in the enterprise is that Apple has continued to focus its efforts on its business customers through product innovation. For example, Apple recently announced the M2 chip, which outperforms its M1 chip by 18 percent and is two times faster than the latest PC chip at the same power level. On the other hand, the tech giant is moving away from supporting macOS and patch updates in older devices, leaving a gap for MSPs to fill.
In addition, with cyber security breaches on the rise, businesses are eager to eliminate vulnerabilities in their networks. Although Apple devices are often thought to be impervious to threats, that is not the case. In fact, as Mac numbers increase in the workplace, so does their value to hackers. MSPs are in an ideal position to educate businesses about this growing threat and leverage the opportunity to offer a solution.
The surge of Apple devices in the workplace signifies a tremendous opportunity for MSPs. As more and more businesses embrace Apple products, they need a trusted partner that can help them deploy, manage, and monitor those devices effectively and keep them as secure as the other devices in their fleet. This expertise can help differentiate an MSP from its competition or allow them to break into new customer segments.
Now more than ever, Apple adoption in the workplace continues to accelerate. With more businesses and organizations adopting Apple products, there is a growing demand for MSPs to manage them. If you want to capitalize on the new trajectory of Apple in the workplace, the time is now!
Author Jason Dettbarn is founder and CEO at Addigy. Read more Addigy guest blogs here. Regularly contributed guest blogs are part of ChannelE2E’s sponsorship program.
