Of the three major form factors for mobile devices (laptops, tablets and smartphones), tablets are experiencing the most uptake among C-level executives, according to a new report from research firm Frost & Sullivan.
The study, “2013 CXOs Mobile Devices Report,” based on a survey of 555 C-level executives worldwide, shows that tablets approached a 50 percent adoption rate among the executives in the 2013, while the rate of laptop adoption continued a steady decline that began in 2011.
Ownership of tablets is growing due to their convenience, the firm says. About one-third of the survey respondents said they are looking to replace their laptop with a tablet.
“In terms of features, [C-level executives] look for reliability, performance and convenience in laptops for office use,” Brent Iadarola, Frost & Sullivan mobile and wireless research director, said in a statement. Apple’s iOS was the most preferred mobile operating system for a future tablet (64 percent), followed by Google’s Android (22 percent) and Microsoft’s Windows (11 percent), he said.
Apple is the most-used brand in the smartphones and tablets sector due to the popularity of the iOS operating system, the report says. Although ownership of multiple devices is uncommon for less prevalent brands, Apple tablet owners possess an average of 1.5 tablets each, it says.
Apple’s year-over-year growth rate is lower than its closest competitors despite being the dominant smartphone brand and the highest rated for satisfaction, Frost & Sullivan says, and Samsung is expected to experience the quickest growth over the near term.
