Business and The Mobile Device

Tablets (more specifically the IPad) and smart phones (more specifically the IPhone) have given the anemic mobile device sector a desperately needed blast of excitement and energy. I have not seen so much fervent bustle and buzz since Netscape’s release paved the way for the ordinary non-techno household to access the new frontier called WorldWideWeb. Imagine, armed with a mobile device and the Internet, a user can access work, school and personal documents of all types, communicate through voice, text, internet phone using Skype of Facetime, or email, work collaboratively with colleagues using cloud based applications or through VPN, use the GPS to get directions, take pictures and record video and audio, write notes in a “new school way,” and so much more.


Whether they are for profit or non-profit, all businesses look for ways that would help their company improve productivity. So it is no surprise that businesses would look to mobile devices as a tool that would improve and streamline workflow. The user’s location away from the office will no longer play a role in completing tasks. In addition, as data communication infrastructure improves, it is possible to access to the most recent and accurate information in real-time. With these enhancements offered by mobile devices, the company’s workforce can work collaboratively with colleagues and team members unencumbered by geographical and time constraints.  


Improving the operational workings of a company is not the only role mobile devices will play in businesses. According to Joshua Michele-Ross, learning how these devices work and are used by their customers is essential in understanding customers’ behavior and expectations. Such knowledge is crucial to making adjustments and changes to a company’s CRM system (customer relationship management). In addition, as the business models integrate mobile devices and mobile device management systems (MDM), senior executives and top managers may gather data from these sources to use in their company’s strategic planning.  


Now that we know mobile devices can benefit businesses, there is one major disadvantage to employing them as part of a business model and that is security. Yes many agree that generating, sharing, and saving work digitally is far more efficient.  And because of the portability and ease of use mobile devices offer, users are quicker and more responsive. However, there are two factors that these devices are more vulnerable to intrusion and data loss. The small size of the devices makes them easier to lose or be stolen, and second mobile device OSs are not as secure and do not allow for management like the traditional laptop operating systems.  With the popularity of these devices, these issues have CIOs and their technology staff scrambling to find solutions to address them. 

In spite of the risks, mobile devices are not going away and will dominate the computing scene.  As the usage grows, there will be a greater demand by businesses, individual, and quite possibly the government for the makers of these devices invest in ways that will make it safer and secure for all users.  



http://www.cio.com.au/article/402859/iphone_ipad_security_human_element/
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46622066/ns/technology_and_science-security/
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/28/tk-ios-gives-developers-access-to-photos-videos-location/?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha25
http://www.forbes.com/2010/01/15/iphone-twitter-computers-technology-breakthroughs-mobile_2.html