Apple's iOS, BlackBerry tops among business users

[the_sleuth]

CNET
By Lance Whitney January 18, 2012 9:37 AM PST

Apple's iOS is the most popular mobile platform among corporate workers, at least according to a survey from mobile security provider Check Point Software.

Among the more than 700 IT professionals polled for a Check Point study (PDF) released today, iOS accounted for 30 percent of the collective traffic on their networks. But RIM's BlackBerry was right behind with 29 percent.

As BlackBerry has long been a corporate standard, the rise of iOS is a clear sign of the consumerization of IT in which employees want to use the same devices at work that they use at home. The trend is even more notable since Apple gears its products for individual consumers with little focus on the enterprise market specifically.

Among other mobile platforms, Android took third place in the study with 21 percent of all traffic, followed by Microsoft's Windows Phone with 18 percent and Nokia's Symbian with 3 percent.



(Credit: Check Point Software)

The use of mobile devices on the job has skyrocketed over the past two years.

A full 89 percent of the IT professionals polled said that they now allow mobile devices to connect to their corporate networks. Further, 65 percent noted that employees use both their own personal phones or tablets as well as company-supplied devices. In fact, more than three-quarters said they're seeing twice as many personal devices in use as they did just two years ago.

But the jump in personal devices is also bringing with it added risk.

Almost two-thirds of those polled said they've seen an increase in security threats over the past two years. And a full 71 percent believe mobile devices are a "contributing factor" to the rise in security problems.

Almost three times as many IT pros labeled careless employees a greater risk than hackers. Many blamed a lack of awareness on the part of employees for the riskier environment, while others pointed to insecure Wi-Fi connections and Web browsing.


(Credit: Check Point Software)

Android was seen as the riskiest mobile platform, followed by iOS. Always popular among enterprises for its tight security, the BlackBerry platform was lauded as the least risky environment.

Sponsored by Check Point and conducted by Dimensional Research, the survey targeted 768 IT pros in the U.S., U.K., Germany, and Japan.

Apple's iOS, BlackBerry tops among business users | Mobile - CNET News

[FlashFlare11]

While not necessarily bad news (depending on how you look at it), this is the market RIM should be controlling. I can see Windows Phone making a rise in the enterprise soon. (Actually, does anyone know why Windows Phone hasn't caught on? From what I've seen it looks very impressive.)

I feel that this is the market RIM needs to get back with BB10 before going to the consumer market.

[dooodads]

Originally Posted by FlashFlare11

While not necessarily bad news (depending on how you look at it), this is the market RIM should be controlling. I can see Windows Phone making a rise in the enterprise soon. (Actually, does anyone know why Windows Phone hasn't caught on? From what I've seen it looks very impressive.)

I feel that this is the market RIM needs to get back with BB10 before going to the consumer market.

WP7 not catching on mostly has to do with timing. It's a unique operating system, and MS deserves credit for not just copying iOS, but the problem was they were too late to the market. The lack of good apps and mild hardware certainly doesn't help (pre-lumia).

Android and iOS seem to be the only brands being pushed by carriers. Also having the word Windows in the name does it no favours.

[mithrazor]

Originally Posted by FlashFlare11

While not necessarily bad news (depending on how you look at it), this is the market RIM should be controlling. I can see Windows Phone making a rise in the enterprise soon. (Actually, does anyone know why Windows Phone hasn't caught on? From what I've seen it looks very impressive.)

I feel that this is the market RIM needs to get back with BB10 before going to the consumer market.

I think WP7 didn't catch on because it doesn't have that one phone. The same way iOS has iPhone. And Android had the Samsung Galaxy. That's when Android just shot up.

[johnny555]

This past Fall my workplace went through a mobile device refresh. Available options were an iphone 4 or blackberry torch 9810/bold/curve. In my group, about 15 co-workers, all chose an iphone with me being the lone person to choose a blackberry(torch 9810).

[deRusett]

http://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/...vey-report.pdf

This is the PDF link if someone wants to skip over CNET's reporting of the story

I like how much information they give out about who they interviewed.

[mjs416]

Originally Posted by the_sleuth

A full 89 percent of the IT professionals polled said that they now allow mobile devices to connect to their corporate networks. Further, 65 percent noted that employees use both their own personal phones or tablets as well as company-supplied devices. In fact, more than three-quarters said they're seeing twice as many personal devices in use as they did just two years ago.

But the jump in personal devices is also bringing with it added risk.

Almost two-thirds of those polled said they've seen an increase in security threats over the past two years. And a full 71 percent believe mobile devices are a "contributing factor" to the rise in security problems.

Almost three times as many IT pros labeled careless employees a greater risk than hackers. Many blamed a lack of awareness on the part of employees for the riskier environment, while others pointed to insecure Wi-Fi connections and Web browsing.

I think you'll actually eventually see this trend regress. They probably thought that IT work load would decrease but they failed to take into consideration that people are indeed careless and for the most part - technology neophytes

[sinsin07]

Originally Posted by mjs416

I think you'll actually eventually see this trend regress. They probably thought that IT work load would decrease but they failed to take into consideration that people are indeed careless and for the most part - technology neophytes

Could be, which means people will go back to carrying two devices. Or instead of a reversal you may see stronger security for BOYD.
Based on the PDF p, page 5, bottom of page, it would appear the fault lies with IT. Maybe they need some training.

This bit is also interesting:
Apple Macs Land on More Corporate Desks
"GE started offering its employees the iPhone as an alternative to BlackBerrys in 2008. Now, it says about 10,000 GE employees carry the Apple smartphone, compared with 50,000 using BlackBerrys."

[deRusett]

Originally Posted by sinsin07

Could be, which means people will go back to carrying two devices. Or instead of a reversal you may see stronger security for BOYD.
Based on the PDF p, page 5, bottom of page, it would appear the fault lies with IT. Maybe they need some training.

This bit is also interesting:
Apple Macs Land on More Corporate Desks
"GE started offering its employees the iPhone as an alternative to BlackBerrys in 2008. Now, it says about 10,000 GE employees carry the Apple smartphone, compared with 50,000 using BlackBerrys."

Ford Started to offer the BYOD option in 2007, in December 2011 Ford Motor Company had 2700 users using BYOD, and 3000 users using corporate issued devices

BYOD is made up of 1900 iPhones, iPads, iPod Touches, and 800 BlackBerry's (Android is currently not supported)
3000 corporate issued devices are BlackBerry's


Stronger Security is certainly coming to the BYOD program, I very much expect Ford will be a company that will bring in Mobile Fusion on top of their BES to control their BYOD program and with Mobile fusion they'll probably allow Android devices

Also the BYOD program at Ford requires users do their own tech support, they are responsible for the uptime of their devices, they have an internal message board people can request help on.

This I suspect will be more and more of a trend as company's off load IT responsibilities onto the users, with the expectations that they maintain the connectivity required.
Else I can see markets moving back to BlackBerry's due to the low cost roll out of them and the low cost management of them

[i7guy]

There is a difference between popular and useful. Beany babies and pet rocks were popular.

I would buy an iphone that came loaded with QNX, but would not buy a RIM device with IOS. To me the hardware is not as important as the operating system.

[sinsin07]

Originally Posted by i7guy

There is a difference between popular and useful. Beany babies and pet rocks were popular.

I would buy an iphone that came loaded with QNX, but would not buy a RIM device with IOS. To me the hardware is not as important as the operating system.

Similar sounds come form webos users. Useful is in the eye of the beholder. My 9900 is cool, however my another device can also read my corporate email, control my house, car alarm, Slingbox, runs car diagnostic software, plugs into various home stereo equipment, runs presentations on dlp projectors, changes channels, etc. Maybe you don't find that useful, mileage may vary.

As time goes by less and less advantage will go to RIM as other methods/manufacturers/app developers up their game.

Didn't some android tablet just get certified recently for government use? Not sure how that happened.

Edit: here it is:Samsung Galaxy S II and Galaxy Tab 10.1 receive FIPS security certification

[lak611]

Originally Posted by dooodads

WP7 not catching on mostly has to do with timing. It's a unique operating system, and MS deserves credit for not just copying iOS, but the problem was they were too late to the market. The lack of good apps and mild hardware certainly doesn't help (pre-lumia).

Android and iOS seem to be the only brands being pushed by carriers. Also having the word Windows in the name does it no favours.

the Nokia Lumia 900 is the smartphone that impressed me most of all the ones shown off at CES. Re apps, I can think of a few of the popular ones available for Windows Phone, but not available for BlackBerry.

It will be interesting to see how well Windows Phone does once the Lumia 900 and the HTC Titan II hit the stores.

[Rootbrian]

iOS and BB OS are both head to head in the enterprise. I like what the bar graph shows.

[Palmless]

Originally Posted by Rootbrian

iOS and BB OS are both head to head in the enterprise. I like what the bar graph shows.

Yeeeessssbuuuuuut... if you had a graph from one, two or three years ago, this graph would be absolutely horrifying because it shows an alarming trend.

Unless we are to believe "Everything is better now" and the trend will immediately and dramatically reverse, the trend is really, really bad for RIM.

[IAmBBJosh]

Some people still use Symbian

I wonder what these security risks for Android and iOS are? And how they measured security risk? Is it the risk of users downloading dodgy apps or falling for phishing or just using open WiFi or what?

Seeing as they're both UNIX systems, they're both secure if you configure them well, but obviously only a geek would really bother.