The business world really wants Windows 8 on a Tablet
Apple iPads are less desirable because they cant be managed on a Windows network
Windows 8 Tablets will defeat the iPad in the enterprise hands down
Funny.
There’s a simple reason that these erroneous assumptions are getting so much airtime. It has a lot to do with the fact that the tech writers and bloggers who write this very rarely have worked in IT in the enterprises they write about.
I’m kind of an anomaly that way.
You see I started out as a management consultant 16 years ago and throughout the course of
my Tech career:
- I designed (working with enterprise architects) enterprise apps
- I coded enterprise apps
- I deployed enterprise apps
- I secured enterprise apps
- I managed enterprise apps
- I budgeted for enterprise apps
- I defended (to CEO’s and CTO’s) enterprise apps
I kind of know how companies think regarding enterprise IT.
I’ll explain it to you.
In the US at least, most companies look at IT as a financial drag.
Yes the function of deploying, managing, fixing and upgrading software and hardware has value but I think but most bloggers have no idea what the perception of that value is. It ain’t good folks.
You see, companies are
first and foremost in the business of
making money and selling their products.
Business Units or departments within those companies that assist with that function (Engineering, Sales, Finance, Marketing etc) are perceived as valuable. Those departments tangibly and provably add value or revenue to a company’s bottom line.
IT departments do not directly generate revenue. They are an expense.
In fact, IT departments are
ALWAYS under fire from the business andÂ
ALWAYS studying metrics and trying to LOWER the amount of money that the company is spending on IT.
IT doesn’t set budget or direction – the business does.
It’s important to understand this in the context of the conversation about Tablet demand in the enterprise.
You see, Â IT departments and IT senior management care about the efficiency of managing tablets in a large company.
They feel the pain of deployments and management and its important for them to be able to provision, secure and manage these devices efficiently.
Other more critical and more powerful parts of the enterprise however couldn’t care less.
They care about which devices make their work easier which
translates into REVENUE.
If you are a CEO, it’s really simple.
- If you run a company and your sales people tell you they need iPads to make the company more money – you are using iPads – IT’s job will be to make it work.
- If there are more business apps in the Apple Store or better business apps developed for the iPad than for Windows 8 Metro – you are using iPads – IT’s job will be to make it work.
You see it’s not businesses that want Windows 8 Tablets, it’s IT resources who really want them –
BIG difference. Business users want whatever is easy and pleasant to use and makes their day to day job easier.
Remember – IT departments and management do not set direction – business users do!
Ask any IT manager who has tried to tell salespeople that their iPhone is not supported by the company. Guess who the CEO will back in that discussion?
There are 3 issues that will determine who wins the battle for Tablets in the Enterprise.
- An attractive and intuitive UI
- A large ecosystem of business apps
- A large ecosystem of tools to build and support business apps
Those 3 will decide the winner of this fight.
If you think Apple isn’t
refining tools to make enterprise deployment and management of the iPad easier on Windows networks, you have no idea just how heated this battle is going to get.
This is why Metro is so important for Microsoft.
The battle
IS NOT to have people playing cut the rope or angry birds on Windows 8 Tablets.
The battle
IS to have Sales People run Metro Sales Apps and to have Finance People run Metro Finance Apps and to have HR people run Metro HR apps.
The Tablet battle will be fought and won in the application space.
If an HR application runs better on the iPad than on Windows 8 Tablets, iPads will be supported in that company.
That simple.
The battle for the enterprise is a 3 way battle between Apple, Google and Microsoft.
Apple is clearly ahead, Google are kind of stalled and Microsoft is about to enter the battle.
Bloggers need to think more strategically about this one.
If you think a Microsoft victory is guaranteed, you really have no clue about how large businesses work.
What do you guys and girls think? Let me know in the comments below.]]>
All Comments
Good article! Bit of an eye opener for me
Glad to hear. I think a lot of people don’t realize how hard IT has to fight (in general) to justify expenditures.
🙂
Windows 8 is only one step towards a Metro only os. An undisclosed source has leaked screenshots of Windows 9 which will no longer have a desktop. It will be purely Metro: http://img2.imagesbn.com/images/110970000/110973571.jpg
 That’s where we are going!
LOL! That is f-ing hilarious, good one!
Now that my friend is HILARIOUS!!
Why is the discussion here just Metro? Windows 8 has legacy support as well for millions of apps not available on iPads, including but not limited to a popular little suite called MS Office. I believe Metro will be very popular amongst developers, but it’s only half of the reason to choose Windows 8 over iOS. Android is not even a consideration right now in IT due to massive security flaws and a complete lack of technical support.
Yeah but the challenge isn’t at the desktop level. Office on Windows 8 Desktop is a sure fire hit on desktops.
The challenge going forward is business users using business applications on tablets. The more tablets are sold, the more critical this market becomes.
Make no mistake though, Microsoft will always do healthy numbers on the desktop.
I dont hear too many people saying Windows will win in IT. Hell WOA might not even have the management capabilities available today on Windows. The apps better come fast that is all have to say. I am a winfan but this battle is conceivable lost in apps/cost/design/consumer adoption already. Windows will have an uphill battle for years.Â
I didn’t even touch WOA. I’m saving that for another day…
Good point.
(Sorry for my bad english)
Yeah, thats why iPad is being widely used on enterprises. Except it isn’t. You start the post trying to convince the reader that you past experience put you on a better position to predict the future. Except you can’t. Sure, everyone love their iPads, they are great. But windows 8 has access to the “old” desktop apps. And Office. The admin can manage all machines from the network, install, update, etc – without user intervention. You can use any hardware on the market. Those things are *huge* to any company whose business is more than take notes.
Those things are *huge* to any IT DEPARTMENT whose business is more than take notes. If the business users don’t agree, things change.
That’s all I’m saying. 🙂
Valuable feedback though.
There are thousands of programs being used in the business sector (many of which are custom-made) that will run in a Win8 Tablet. The possibilities are endless.
Assuming the tablet is an ARM based tablet… then no… Windows 8 doesn’t have access to existing Windows apps.
Oh and I’ve worked for two different large F500 over the past 3 years and *every* exec had an iPad and you better believe IT supported them.
LOL
Of course! If you love your job, you tell the VP’s yes!
Most Win8 tablets will be Intel based.
I think Apple will win this whole thing. Microsoft has brought themselves into a hell hole with Windows 8. I think Windows 8 will cause Microsoft to fail and go out of buisness, It is without a doubt. But that’s my view.
Too early to say. Microsoft have some advantages but it’s too early to tell. Apple are not stupid either and they have the best tablet on the market.
It’ll be fun to watch.
Your kidding right? Windows 7 beat every other OS (including every previous version of Windows) in every sales metric possible. It’s overwhelmingly used as the most complete and software rich OS on the planet. Windows 8, brings everything it has, plus some new tricks, yet some how that will kill MS?
Even if Windows 8 is some how a flop, MS has survived and improved from their failures. In general, the “bad” versions of windows all hinge on hardware support… Windows 98 (pre SE), WIndows ME, Windows XP (pre SP1), Windows Vista (pre SP1)… Windows 8 doesn’t bring a new driver model (98, XP, Vista), has lower system requirements (Vista), and in general a lot of improvments geared for business more than consumers (Drive Spaces, Hyper-V on desktop, ext).
UI changes get a lot of yelling, and eventually 99% of users who used the OS before fall in line, with both OSX and Windows. They don’t just dream these things up and ship them, there is a lot of testing and UI design involved.
Let’s see now .. What does a developer think when he’s coding????
He wants to write a code for something new, something that’s different, something better, something productive, something easy, something better, something that leaves a mark. NO matter how close a developer gets close to this goal but that’s the true intention somewhere. To be better than the rest. And this is where Windows 8 is going to challenge them, this is their platform, something they have been waiting for to put their unknown skills to test, a whole new environment, a whole new design, a whole new approach towards creating the best application. Many would disagree with me, of course that how it’s suppose to be, else this wouldn’t be much of a debate. Talking about Enterprise and Business .. I wonder if SAP, Oracle, CVent, etc have made applications available for the platform that the iPad runs on. But as we all know these are already available on the Windows platform which makes it quite simple for the business as an entity rather than just the IT.
I hope this explains why the Windows 8 tablet would prosper. And as we all know, Apple which is oh so proud of it’s first day of sales hasn’t revealed the numbers yet. The lines ended soon and the supply remained adequate. Which means there’s a difference? iPad 2 was a success because there was no Windows 8 on a tablet to take the market by storm. And Mr. Amobi I’m sure you’re looking forward to grab one yourself too .. .. Simply put, for those who have experienced the 8 on a Slate would know how much fun computing is when you’re playing with 8.
~ Lord B.
Just a brief search on the Apple App store brought these up (see images).
There are tons more…
And I already have a Windows 8 Tablet 🙂
Read about my experience with it here
http://www.windows8update.com/2012/03/14/editorial-2-weeks-using-windows-8-my-experience-so-far/
There is some truth in what your saying, but speaking as someone who is essentially a regional ITÂ department head for my organization, I think the water is far to muddy to be calling it with confidence one way or the other. Looking at the reality right now, I would have to side with the reputable blogs and magazines. We don’t use iPads for work, we use computers. I even have some users testing the use of Win8. It is true that business sets the direction for tech, but at this point iPads are not a feasible option. The would not integrate well with how we do things, they would not run the many tools that we use that are for full operating systems. Maybe things will change eventually.
As far as IT’s job being to make it work, I’m not sure what company’s you were working for, but many times there are things on a wish list that never get done, because the cost of “making it work” would be too high. There are solutions that we would like to have that would make life easier but we don’t have them because they would be too expensive. Whether the cost would be from hiring someone outside the organization to develop a product, or just take us away from work that we need to focus on ourselves, there is a balance between making things work (and that is a really big part of my job) and the cost of making things work. And there are times when we change the way things are done, even though some business users don’t like it initially because we need to take a solution that isn’t good, and replace it with one that is. I disagree that business users set the direction of tech in companies. I think they are certainly a factor, but to say that they are direction setters would be an oversimplification.
At any rate, with Windows 8, we can get a tablet that provides a touch experience that in my experience has been intuitive and useful http://goo.gl/TMwqO (and I know we disagree there), has full support for programs that at this point we don’t have a better way to interact with, and may even be able to provide us with access to android apps via something like bluestacks. I can’t speak for other organizations, but in mine, Win8 is sounding like the winner for now, it will be interesting to see what Apple does to try to counter that.
Perfectly put!
I respect that view as well.
🙂
You’ve saved me typing my own rational counter-argument to this article (as opposed to the ridiculous, purile anti-Microsoft/Apple comments posted previously). I’m the manager of an IT Department and have worked in a similar position for some years. Â Although IT is sometimes something of a poor relation to other departments, I’ve found that if I tell senior management that something is needed or wouldn’t work, they generally respect my conclusions. Â That’s my job.
I don’t know whether Apple or Microsoft will win the upcoming tablets-in-business war, if, indeed, either will come out as a definitive winner, but I think it’s far too early to say yet. Â In fact, the amount of ludicrous speculation being written about every aspect of Microsoft’s new O/S which is, let’s not forget, over six months from even being released is getting silly.
Maybe 6 months from being released but possibly 3 months from being completed.
http://www.windows8update.com/2012/03/19/bloomberg-news-says-windows-8-will-be-widely-available-in-september-or-october-2012/
The big blue chip companies have a massive investment in ‘old technology’ – mainframes, windows NT etc. Users may well want new tech such as tablets and touchscreen etc but unless they help the companies line of businees applications evolve or reduce the support headache then the users won’t get the new stuff for years. Its always agonisingly slow evolution… almost never revolution… unless you are a new starter business that has no legacy systems…. but they are just small beer! So windows will still be around in our lifetimes….
On the desktop for sure…
I have over 30 years in supporting the PC in the work place. I remember one CEO, who would only purchase IBM PC. With 3 years all those machines were outdated and place scrape pile. Looking down the mobile road I see Windows 8 winning the war between Apple and MS for same reasons Windows own the desktop, open to third party development. The Windows 8 will be on more tablets because you can plug in wired networks and USB items like printers. The Windows 8 tablet will be using current own printers, scanners, and cameras. The price of Windows 8 tablet will be less current price of Apple. Â
You raise an interesting point. Should a tablet have a LAN port. Doesn’t that sort of defeat the purpose?
 There times you would like solid connect because of layout of wireless spots. Moving into dead area and wire may be only connection. Uploading and downloading data is more secure using a wire. Â
Oh I agree. I was more responding to the fact that I never even thought about that.
“Apple is clearly ahead, Google are kind of stalled and Microsoft is about to enter the battle.” I prefer Google is as opposed to Google are, but, that’s not my point.What is your evidence that they (Google) are stalled in this context???
Thanks  OnuoraÂ
Anecdotal.Â
I haven’t heard anything radical about Google Tablet adoption in the enterprise in a loooooong time.Â
I hear about Google apps (Gmail etc) but not much about the tablets.
Not even clear what that strategy is anymore.
I couldn’t agree more…the application store IS the decisive factor…if there’s an app that is utilized by everyone…it becomes the defacto tool…users will flock to something new IF it proves viable and user friendly AND provides value in getting work accomplished. The average user goes by tweeting. posting and texting from those around them as to how well something works to make the job easier or more efficient.
In the connected workplace of today…a few hours is all it takes to see if a application truly enhances the methodology of creating, editing, connecting, collaborating, or sharing a space to create in.
If it’s a hit, and can be efficient or provide “perceived gain” then people will use it…the more an app allows for communal or cooperative effort for teams and input…the more a group will want to use it.
The drag is TCO…if the TCO is too high…no matter how efficient the app proves…it’s not considered feasible by most IT staff when trying to justify the expense..it goes something like this conversation…The IT guy…this app can improve efficiency in our email system by 9% and remove some of the headache of deployment through a gnu license…THE CEO or Supervisor…great how will we pay for it..or…how much does it cost…or the most common response..there’s no room in the budget for it…what do we have to lose to implement this and how much overtime will you have to put in to deploy the new app…to finally, we can’t afford to do that right now.
The IT guy is usually forced to deal not only with the actual work of deployment… but usually very little understanding of the terminology and associated cost of ANY deployment but also no understanding of what it costs sometimes in the long run of “NOT” doing this as in upgraded systems usually function much more efficiently than out of date or dated systems.
That long run view of IT usually only belongs to the IT department and very seldom the Boardroom…like you stated they only want to measure what it makes them now…not how much it will save in the long view or the associated costs of implementation…it’s much harder to sell the “long view” of infrastructure that is always up to date and current…than it is to sell the “why can’t we just keep on doing what we have been doing..it’s got us here…don’t fix it if it isn’t broken” mentality of most boardrooms and the investors. The bottom line for IT departments isn’t the “immediate state” but rather what will it look like in 6 months…or a year…they are forced to deal with broken apps, broken code, balky flash, balky active x components, security holes, hackers, broken access servers, broken hardware or dangerous hardware “read” …THE USER… to the corporate intranet and so on, they MUST take a different view or “UP TIME” will be the price paid.
You sound very enlightened my friend…and somewhat jaded like me. 🙂
That’s absolutely right – IT takes the long view about IT. The business cares about saving money and maximizing profits today.
That’s really the true updates and thanks for sharing this good article..
Strange this. You want our opinion and yet you then tell us that if we believe “a Microsoft victory is guaranteed, you really have no clue about how large businesses work.” No disrespect here but why ask our opinion and then insult us if we dont agree with you? How can you know that some of us dont either work for a large company or are not involved in our company’s decision making? I retired from Chrysler and not only was the instructor for the company’s IT classes, but helped keep the computers and the programming in working condition. So I am sorry, but I do disagree with you about Windows and I know what I am talking about in the IT department so I do in fact have a clue about how large businesses work.
Sorry I don’t mean to insult you at all. This is just such a different type of contest (tablets in the enterprise) it’s hard to be definitive about a winner.
iPads will be in use in Enterprise Systems like iMacs are in use now!
I’ve yet to see any macs in any major enterprise! Too expensive, limited software! Same goes with the iPad! its a consumer product, not an enterprise product. Its a novelty item at this stage to some businesses.
I’ll be writing another post to respond to all the Macs aren’t real computers posts…
I am working for a MAJOR financial establishment and was extremely surprised at the depth at which Macs have been deployed over the enterprise. The entire development staff here use MacBooks and iMacs.
Here is the post I said I would write
http://www.windows8update.com/2012/03/20/the-great-windows-8-fanboy-fallacy-ipads-are-just-media-consumption-devices/Â
Tablets simply don’t work in many businesses. Â Data entry on tablet is a joke.
Windows 8 might have the advantage because it has the software and the means for most businesses.
Windows 7 compatability is the most important to most enterprises.Â
The ipad and other tablets aren’t REAL computers – they’re limited!
Windows 8 MAY extend the boundaries if done right!
Data entry wont be the issue.
Read this…http://www.windows8update.com/2012/03/20/the-great-windows-8-fanboy-fallacy-ipads-are-just-media-consumption-devices/Â
Decent little rant/article, thanks!
“I designed (working with enterprise architects) enterprise apps
I coded enterprise apps
I deployed enterprise apps
I secured enterprise apps
I managed enterprise apps
I budgeted for enterprise apps
I defended (to CEO’s and CTO’s) enterprise apps”
Where in there did you design, implement, secure and manage the network devices your ‘apps’ ran on? Or am I missing something that makes you qualified to comment on the hardware and network management side of business IT decisions?
Well this was more of an enterprise applications discussion but regarding network management, I have had network admins report to me. Does that work?
Spot on, finally someone gets it.
🙂
I’ve been in IT for 15 years and you are absolutely correct. My business is public education and all you have to do to the article is change the word revenue to student achievement.
We have thousands of iPads here and getting more. We in IT are completely frustrated in Apple’s lack of enterprise support. Hopefully they learn and grow. We’re patiently waiting on the W8 tablets and hope that the app infrastructure is robust enough to compete with the iPad.
I’d disagree with one point– if a sales person says that they want to put their iWhatever on the network, and I tell the CEO that’s going to cost an extra whatever over giving them the standard phone, the CEO’s going to back me.
Like you said, IT is a cost center that they’re always looking to minimize, and if anything comes at a higher cost with no immediate, overwhelmingly obvious benefit, IT won’t get told to do it.
I did work in IT at a 10k+ company, and in 2010, to get anything other than a Treo or Blackberry required the permission of the head of your division– despite the fact that the Exchange support of multiple phones made it just as easy to add as their base platforms.
IT made the case that, despite making all the disclaimers in the world about not supporting the device, it was inevitable that some director of VP was going to insist that they make it work for some lower-level employee, so they knew it would increase support costs.
I’m confused here. You say 2 contradictory things in your comment.
First you say:
I’d disagree with one point– if a sales person says that they want to put their iWhatever on the network, and I tell the CEO that’s going to cost an extra whatever over giving them the standard phone, the CEO’s going to back me.Â
Then you say:
I did work in IT at a 10k+ company, and in 2010, to get anything other than a Treo or Blackberry required the permission of the head of your division– despite the fact that the Exchange support of multiple phones made it just as easy to add as their base platforms.Â
The fact that exceptions were made with permission from the head of the division is my point. The sales person would have permission from the head of sales in most cases.
I worked with sales people who would sell (by themselves) between $5 million to $10 million worth of contracts in a year. Those guys could ask for a hooker and in most cases the CEO would sign off.
It took 2.5 years of people asking before even the slightest exceptions were allowed. And plenty of people were asking.
I respect your point of view.
🙂
I have never worked anywhere in real enterprise where IT didn’t have final say regardless of what even the CEO wanted. Sure the CEO or the exec’s might get to bring their ipad in to show off, but never were they connected to the network, oh wait, they can’t. And most of the time it was a huge headache to deal with, showing them how to setup Itunes, on their desktop, after we put it through our usual 3 month user acceptance testing, to ensure it didn’t conflict with any existing programs, and it did cause problems, with default install as it broke a call recording play back software, so we have to do manual installation of them, and well Itunes and group policy custom install packaging is a pain. Then we waste time trying to get them trained on how to move files around, and they can’t look at 90% of the in house applications, cause they aren’t built for non-windows devices, and well we don’t have a crack team of people sitting around bored to re-write Ipad versions. These are massive million user systems, with complex infrastruture, just no way to write what we need, and if we had the resources still couldn’t cause Ipad doesn’t support half of the features we currently have. So the ipad turns into a colorful external harddrive while at work. A 600 dollar 32 GB external hard drive. The exec’s occasionally bring them into some meetings, where half the time they are asking where the erase button is on their ipad, while taking notes, which we can’t just say cause they all have a different note pad app installed, then they ask if they can put what they wrote into a document, which means showing them how to itunes the file to a PC to then attempt to import into word, but most of the note pad apps don’t store the data in an image file, so we have to figure out how to get it open on their desktop. It’s really a blight of inefficency, and after about 5 days of real use most people stop using their Ipads at work for anything more than just showing off.Â
So the only thing MS has to get right, is office 2010 on tablets, a harass free network connection, talking plug into the network auto connection, on modestly priced hardware, and they win. I know it sounds odd, but MS has the workflow options Apple just will never have.Â
Here is a day with a windows 8 tablet. Come into work sit down to my windows 8 desktop at work, plug my windows 8 tablet into a docking station, auto connection to machine and network. User can now pass files back and forth in windows explorer no different than having a usb drive. User also now has a 12 inch touch screen for their desktop machine via the windows 8 tablet, so metro interface is fully working with touch screen, no additional monitor cost to company. Go to company lunch at offsite location, undock tablet, take pen notes on tablet, take a photo with one note and camera. Come back to office, redock and have desktop convert handwritting to text, drop lunch meeting photo from one note into word, and send off to other department for review. Finish day up grab tablet head home. Tablet wi-fi’s with your xbox and kinetic at home, and you go through a few more emails with a few hand jesters while sitting comfy in your recliner, after that you head to bed use tablets kindle app to read a book or two. Repeat.Â
That seamless in and out of your MS world and ease of shifting things back and forth is where MS has a multi-billion dollar franchise to back their tablet with. And they have to do very little to make it all tie together. That is the thing MS has been doing for last decade, they have been building the “new” way we interact, while Apple and Google have just been making cute thin clients that we have had for about 3 decades now, they just added a phone to them, and put them into a small cute shell. MS has been working out all the details on how to intergrate the devices into everything we do. Google knows this and are working fevorishly to do the same, with making chrome OS, and trying to get desktop penentration with chrome browser, and with attempting to do google TV, etc.Â
MS has already finished all of the key pieces Apple and Google are struggling with. like 75% of all american homes have an xbox on them. less than 1% have apple TV or Goggle TV. nearly 80% of all house holds have a windows based PC. So while Apple has the tablet, they don’t have the other key pieces that MS has pretty much locked down. MS has a solid cloud Apple just starting and MS cloud is starting to consume business’s left and right. Google made some solid head way but have been losing ground quickly now MS has moved into the market with better products for same cost. Apple will have to pay billions to get people to buy Apple TV cause they need content. MS has all the content Xbox will ever need, and they are making money from it not paying for it. To me MS has been working hard to make the future happen and they going to get there long before Google and Apple do, and they are making money getting there while others are spending money left and right to play catch up. So as long as the tablets are stable, offer good hardware, and connect seamlessly. They will win the tablet war, with businesses.Â
Love it!!! Win8 is 100% seemless (theoretically).
yeah that is all MS has to do to win is make it 100% seemless if they pull it off which in all honesty shouldn’t be too hard to do, they have similar systems in place and working, then they should get a huge leg up. If they fail at this simple task, well win 8 will just do meh.Â
A lot of companies (mine included) already have the salesforce on iPad with apps written for it. I doubt we would even look at a windows tablet even though we are a microsoft shop.
This is the story I hear from a lot of people
Dude you are preaching and preaching hard, love this article. Simply spot on
Amen brother! LOL
Now we finally know who to blame why some companies still running IE 6, the CEO.
I think in the enterprise field a tablet must be ready for many writing.
Apples new iPad has an additional bluetooth keyboard for fast writing with 10 fingers. But a bluetooth mouse must also be onboard. Apples Magic Mouse is only running with Mac OS X. Here must Apple do more.Â