Tablet sales surge in business sector

Tablet devices are growing amongst the business sector, despite being mainly targeted at the consumer industry, research has found.

Figures released by Context found that sales of tablets through business channels in the second quarter of this year showed a 15 percent increase to 55 percent compared to 40 percent during the same quarter a year ago.

The company said iPad sales still accounted for the vast majority of these sales, at 72 percent in Q2 2012 compared to 56 percent a year ago.

“Apple continue to dominate this arena, as they do across consumer markets”, said Salman Chaudhry, mobile computing analyst at Context.

“This is largely due to the company’s strong engagement with corporate resellers and marketing campaigns focusing on the potential business uses of the iPad around versatile applications that can keep mobile workforces connected.”

The UK saw the biggest spike in tablets sold to corporate buyers with business sales of the iPad climbing from 34.5 percent in Q2 last year to 63.5 percent this year.

In Germany, sales of all tablets through business channels increased from 46.9 percent in the second quarter of last year to 51.2 percent in Q2 2012, while France also saw growth in tablets sold to business from 48.2 percent to 58.4 percent during the same time period.

Context now predicts that as a result of  the Windows 8 launch tablet penetration in business markets will increase even further. A number of businesses, which have so far held back on adopting iPads or Android based tablets will be looking at Windows 8 as an operating system that is already compatible with their existing infrastructure.