The Real Biggest Loser In The Microsoft Surface Tablet Debate – Google

Google tablets have been dealt an almost fatal corporate blow. Ultimately, while we can debate whether these new Microsoft pieces of hardware are vaporware or not, there’s no debating that the iPad will (finally) have a credible competitor in the enterprise. This can’t be great news for Google who have been refining their tablets for a while now and have started making more user friendly tablet devices. When IT executives sit down to discuss tablet recommendations for their companies, there are now 2 solid options.

1. The Apple iPad
2. Microsoft Tablets

The case for deploying the iPad is obvious: About Apple iPads:

• Apple is hands down the leader in the space – heck they created the tablet category.
• They are a known quantity to users.
• They are easy to use.
• They are mature.
• They can be managed with Microsoft’s Windows Intune product
• They have more applications than anyone else (including business applications).
• They are one vendor (versus managing multiple hardware vendors).

Apple is aggressively making a push into the enterprise and they have had a lot of time to work on their sales and support pitches. Apple sales people have (at this point) probably heard every reason why they shouldn’t be playing in the enterprise and probably have very effective rejoinders. Make no mistake, they are in this for the long haul. The case for deploying the Microsoft Tablets is also attractive:

• They are slim and light
• They run Windows
• They run Microsoft Office
• They will probably be easier to support in a corporate environment
• They will be easier to secure
• They should be easier to develop for
• They will allow organizations to leverage their in house Windows developers (with training).

What’s the case for bringing Google Android tablets in house? They will be harder to secure, harder to support, harder to develop for, and clearly aren’t a leader in that space. In addition, they don’t really have any killer features that make the device necessary in the enterprise. It’s clear that at this point, Google clearly seems to be squarely focused on the consumer space. They seem to be placing way more on an emphasis on adoption of their cloud applications and services with less of an emphasis on an exhaustive and comprehensive enterprise hardware push. Google do not appear to have a sustained focus on driving the adoption of their tablet devices into businesses and unless something changes with Google’s tablet strategy and soon, they may be locked out of this market forever. Today, for IT executives, it’s a no-brainer. They are tasked with introducing tablets into the workplace with the most realistic chances of successful deployment, efficient maintenance and hassle-free user adoption. Apple or Microsoft are now the clear choices for implementing a corporate tablet strategy.]]>