In another article I wrote in March of 2012, I had argued that the real challenge Microsoft had in the enterprise was getting these apps into companies before Apple does.
I said:
Here’s the bottom line – the same attributes that make the iPad a fantastic way to read the New York Times will be the very same attributes that make the iPad a fantastic way to update a company’s Accounts Receivables.
Those iPads sneaking into the enterprise today will be able to prove their value as enterprise class devices tomorrow.
Microsoft know this – this is why a Windows Tablet strategy is mission critical.
The next time someone tells you that iPads are just media consumption devices, just chuckle. You know better.
As we start to see Microsoft partners dig into the Modern UI, this is the step needed to hold back the tidal wave of Apple devices that are creeping/flooding the enterprise.
Ironically, an ideal scenario for Microsoft might be this:
- Companies will start to send developers for training
- Developers come back and build useful and sexy business apps
- Employees get used to using these apps at work and using Windows 8 devices
- They get back home and wonder about what other applications are in the app store
- They do some research and find apps they like
- They like the devices they use for work
- They buy devices for the home as well
It’s so crazy, it just might work.
Either way, pay close attention to the enterprise story. That’s where real money is spent.
SAP, ORACLE and PeopleSoft deployment projects typically cost tens to hundreds of millions of dollars. I know because I’ve been on a lot of them.
If Microsoft can make the case that Windows 8 makes sense as part of an N-tiered app architecture, the sky is the limit.
What do y’all think?
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All Comments
Dude I totally agree. As a PeopleSoft financials analyst, I can see the new Windows 8 GUI and internals totally making a difference.
In addition, combined with Windows Server 2012, it will be interesting to see if there are substantial performance gains.
You have to remember that for LARGE projects, every second you can shave off the processing time of transactions could easily be worth thousands of $$$
Thanks for writing this..
Dude I totally agree. As a PeopleSoft financials analyst, I can see the new Windows 8 GUI and internals totally making a difference.
In addition, combined with Windows Server 2012, it will be interesting to see if there are substantial performance gains.
You have to remember that for LARGE projects, every second you can shave off the processing time of transactions could easily be worth thousands of $$$
Thanks for writing this..
It’s analysis like this that keeps me coming back to this site. Thanks!
Do you think that Android tablets have a future in the enterprise? Or do you think that the more controlled nature of iPads/WinRT, as well as the synergies of Win8 tablets blending into existing corporate infrastructure, make for more cost-effective deployments in the enterprise?
Thanks for the compliment.
Android doesn’t seem to have much of a future there compared to Apple and Microsoft. Apart from some of their Office Apps, they haven’t really made a concerted push into the Enterprise.
In addition, the Chrome OS has shown absolutely no focus so I’m not too impressed at this time.
Businesses will continue to support Android devices (phones and tablets) for BYOD because a lot of the apps that will be deployed will work on those devices as well (HTML 5, Javascript, CSS).
🙂
Well, when Microsoft itself will release advanced and productive Metro apps, let say a version of office to start, then i will begin to believe that it is possible to build something else
than limited/close to useless apps for the iPad generation. Up to now Microsoft, whom my company is a partner, has been unable to show us even a single really productive business apps. All this strangely remind me of the WPF beginning where Microsoft were pushing everyone to release WPF applications while being itself unable to show the example. Fortunately, there has been silverlight which has unfortunately been killed by Microsoft in a close past.
Well, when Microsoft itself will release advanced and productive Metro apps, let say a version of office to start, then i will begin to believe that it is possible to build something else
than limited/close to useless apps for the iPad generation. Up to now Microsoft, whom my company is a partner, has been unable to show us even a single really productive business apps. All this strangely remind me of the WPF beginning where Microsoft were pushing everyone to release WPF applications while being itself unable to show the example. Fortunately, there has been silverlight which has unfortunately been killed by Microsoft in a close past.