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Consumer Mobile Devices in the Enterprise

Why smartphones and tablets are launching a

new era for enterprise technologies

STREAMLINING ENTERPRISE TECHNOLOGY

Spurring Innovation in the Enterprise

1.54BILLIONSmartphones were sold in 2017. The avail-

ability of these powerful devices represents

a seismic technological shift for enterprises.

The architecture of enterprise technology is entering a

new era. Driven by the need for better data collection,

faster innovation cycles, and smarter digital-physical in-

tegration, enterprises are increasingly turning to solu-

tions that are built upon consumer mobile devices, and

for very good reason.

Through a combination of versatility, usability, afford-

ability and supportability, along with a rich developer

ecosystem, modern smartphones and tablets offer the

features and functions that can enable a wide array of

high-value enterprise use cases. More broadly, these

consumer-oriented technologies are unlocking new

opportunities for rapid innovation, bringing digital effi-

ciencies and capabilities into the physical environment.

AILA — HEALTHCARE CASE STUDY

The Limitations of Traditional Enterprise Systems

Enterprise technology stacks have traditionally

featured an array of disparate, specialized

point solutions. These purpose-built tools have

proven to be extremely effective at addressing

specific enterprise needs. However, consumer

demands now require increasingly seamless

experiences across web, mobile and brick-

and-mortar channels. Integrating disparate

hardware and software components with each

other and across channels can be complex.

Furthermore, siloed technology solutions don’t

create an ecosystem that supports the rapid

innovation cycles needed to quickly respond

to ever-changing market demands.employees say their employer doesn’t give them access to the latest technology to do their job efficiently

— The Staples Business Advantage Workplace Index

3 OUT OF 4

The Rise of Consumer Mobile Devices

For more than a decade, demand for ever-smarter,

faster tablets and smartphones has spurred global

technology leaders into action. This consumer mar-

ket opportunity is real: some 1.54 billion smartphones

were sold in 2017 alone. These increasingly powerful,

versatile, feature-rich devices don’t just benefit con-

sumers—they represent a seismic technological shift

for enterprises, too.

By building upon consumer mobile devices, enter-

prises are able to achieve the technological agility re-

quired by this era of rapid transformation.

Here are five reasons why consumer tablets and

smartphones are increasingly being used as the

foundation of next-gen enterprise technologies:

1. VERSATILITYThe ultra-competitive consumer technology market

has led to a veritable arms race in terms of features

included on these modern tablets and handheld de-

vices. Bright, responsive touchscreens, hi-res imaging

capabilities and connectivity that ranges from cellular

to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have all become standard fea-

tures, along with powerful processing capabilities and

internal storage.

This versatility within an app-based environment

means a single device can be used for a multitude of

high-value workflows, enabling enterprises to nimbly

and quickly deploy experiences that are less expensive

and easier to manage than those built on traditional en-

terprise hardware platforms.

2. USABILITYExpecting employees or customers to learn

how to use new hardware is a big ask—especial-

ly if that new device features an unintuitive user

interface or an unfamiliar operating system.

Building experiences around class-leading UIs

from market-tested tablets and smartphones

that people already know how to use stream-

lines adoption, which can lead to a faster return

on investment—and perhaps more importantly,

happier employees and customers.

4. SUPPORTABILITYIf your custom “rugged” device breaks, you’re typically at

the mercy of the manufacturer for services, repairs and re-

placements. With consumer devices, these services are sim-

ple by necessity. The sheer volume of consumer devices out

in the world has created an efficient device maintenance

and replacement infrastructure.

In the consumer market, forward compatibility and extend-

ed product life cycles provides a large window for device

usage. Apple, for example, offers iOS 11 support for 23 mod-

els of iPhones and iPads, and product support for an addi-

tional five years following discontinuation. The stability of

these products in terms of hardware and software devel-

opment, including common APIs across the iOS platform,

further creates a stable environment favored by enterprise

IT managers.

3. AFFORDABILITYConsumer mobile devices not only include rich fea-

ture sets and smooth interfaces, they also deliver

exceptional performance relative to their cost. This

value can help shorten the time before the break-

even point for a faster return on the investment of

new experiences and technology deployments.

5. A RICH DEVELOPERECOSYSTEMAs the new era of digitally-infused experiences and workflows

is still taking shape, enterprises need the agility to quickly

test, optimize and scale their deployments. Consumer mobile

devices are an ideal platform for this, in part because of the

breadth of their developer ecosystems.

Lured by a reliable stream of income, software developers

have been creating mobile applications at a remarkable pace,

with thousands of new apps launched daily. This has led to

an incredibly rich developer ecosystem, with no shortage of

options for building, troubleshooting, or upgrading software

applications to run any number of experiences. This is in stark

contrast to traditional retail technologies, which typically

offer far fewer opportunities for customization or enhance-

ments to the user interface or software feature set.

KEY TAKEAWAYSThe competitive, versatile nature of the consumer

device industry has paved the way for a new gen-

eration of technology solutions that enable rapid

innovation and agile deployment. With rich feature

sets, user-friendly design, and a vibrant developer

ecosystem, consumer tablets and handheld devic-

es are an asset to businesses small and large that

are looking for new ways to engage with consum-

ers and streamline business streamline operations.

Aila Technologies delivers seamless experiences for enterprises, uniting real-world and online operations to empower employees, streamline workflows and delight customers at every touchpoint. Through Aila’s TrueScan software and suite of Interactive Kiosks and Mobile Imagers that beautifully combine proven iOS capabilities with superior integrated scanning, Aila enables front-end applications that create brand new possibilities in-store and beyond. Learn more about how Aila Technologies is making every interaction and transaction we touch more valuable, for every enterprise partner, every day, at www.ailatech.com.

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