Tablets are increasingly becoming a staple at work for the corporate professional, according to research released in June 2012 by IDG Connect. 71% of the more than 3,000 IT and business professionals responding to the survey said they already own a tablet, with roughly 3 in 5 using it daily for work. Breaking down usage by OEM, the survey finds that daily usage is highest among Blackberry tablet owners (71%), followed by iPad (64%) and Android (58%) owners. Overall, just 8% of tablet-owners say that their device never makes it into their work.

With more professionals bringing their device to work, it’s interesting to note that per Good’s [pdf] January 2012 “Technology State of BYOD Report,” 72% of companies currently support bring your own device (BYOD) programs, up from 60% a year earlier. These companies tend to be large, with 81% of them having more than 2,000 employees.

Android Leads iPad in Future Purchases

The corporate professionals market for tablets appears likely to continue increasing at a rapid rate, with Android poised to take advantage of this growth. 80% of the IDG Connect survey respondents who do not own a tablet intend to buy one in the next year. And of those, 44% expect to purchase an Android tablet, compared with 27% who will opt for an iPad.

If these intentions hold true, it will mark a shift from current ownership trends. 51% of the respondents who currently own a tablet have an iPad, while 38% own an Android tablet.

Preference For Android Constant Throughout Regions

Further data from the IDG Connect survey reveals that preference for Android tablets among first-time buyers is not a regional phenomenon. Respondents across all geographic regions are more likely to opt for Android tablets than iPads, with the largest percentage point disparities seen in South America (50% Android vs. 21.7% iPad), Europe (49.3% Android vs. 22.7% iPad), and Africa (43.6% vs. 20.5%). Only in North America are first-time buyer preferences relatively on par, with 30.1% expecting to buy an Android, against 29.1% choosing an iPad.

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