iPad Mini – Practical for My Enterprise?

Apple’s iPad has made quite a splash in recent years and CEO Tim Cook said Apple will be bringing more resources and salespeople to bear on driving iPads deeper into the enterprise. Executives and employees on every level, in almost every field, have these devices at their fingertips. School districts are beginning to roll out iPad programs to elementary, middle and high school level kids. Not only are hand devices getting more popular, companies like Kindle Fire, Android, Nook and Apple are fighting to keep the most innovative and newest thing in consumer’s hands. Apple’s newest tablet release: The iPad Mini. Is anyone surprised? There is a high demand for these devices and the market is ripe.

Enterprises that already have an existing presence of Apple iPads teeter with the question of getting the “next thing” to stay up with the technology curve. If you are a bring-your-own-device enterprise, you may be fully equipped to bring on the iPad Mini, but if you are not, you may be questioning if this switch is practical.

Security

If there is an existing mobile device management solution in your enterprise, security may not be the issue. Employees that are adopting this new device have no security risks beyond what any other laptop, smartphone or tablet bring. There are no new firewalls or configurations that are far from the larger iPad. Like these other devices, IT departments should require a password to get into these devices that are getting corporate access to email and secure information.

Cost-Effective 

The iPad mini compared to the iPad is cheaper. Starting at $329 and going up to $529, it is more cost-effective than the $499 – $699 range of the newest iPad with retina display. If you are looking to buy new, it is reasonable, but if you are looking to replace your current iPads, many are sticking with their old, last generation iPads. The iPad Mini is still pricier than other tablets averaging around $199, but it is arguably more functional in an enterprise than other tablets.

Your Call

While the iPad mini might not be quite as practical as other tablets, it does keep the latest technology and the leading brand in phones and tablets at your enterprise’s disposal.

This post was provided by mindWireless, a telecom expense management company based out of Austin, Texas.