Apple is on the cusp of gaining the kind of market command it has not held in over 20 years, with 67 percent of enterprise IT professionals believing the Mac will “cut into PC share over the next three years,” according to a JAMF Software survey.

Back on track

This IDC chart confirms that Mac market share has already regained the market position it last enjoyed in 1995, climbing to 8 percent of the overall market on significantly higher unit sales. Meanwhile, as the PC market overall contracts, Apple’s overall share continues to climb. Ironically, it appears enterprise sales will drive Cupertino forward even as alternative platforms fade into the background.

Published today, JAMF Software’s second annual global survey of IT pros shows Macs, iPhones and iPads are seeing rapidly increasing adoption among enterprise users. Nearly all enterprise IT professionals say that their internal teams support Mac (96 percent), iPad (81 percent), and iPhone (84 percent).

Enterprises are being driven to the platforms in their search to boost productivity, build employee engagement with digital business processes, and to cut costs. (It isn’t just IBM that sees a $270 per employee cost reduction in using Macs rather than PCs.) IT pros also agree that Macs (75 percent) and iOS devices (82 percent) offer more security compared to other platforms, and user/employee preference continues to drive adoption of both platforms.

Macs replace PCs

Dave Alampi, JAMF Software’s vice president of product management and marketing, told me: “The Mac is alive and well. Over the last several quarters, industry analysts have reported that Mac sales have continued to grow while other PC vendors, and the category as a whole, have declined.”

JAMF Software Thanks to JAMF Software

The BYOD movement is widening to become a BYO Platform force, Alampi explains.

“As organizations continue to implement user choice programs, more and more employees are choosing Apple devices for work because this is what they prefer in their everyday lives. As a result, Apple is seeing increased adoption in the enterprise because employees demand Apple.”

The survey reveals that 96 percent of companies now support Apple, showing that enterprises are seeing increased deployment of all the company’s platforms within their business. 64 percent of IT pros surveyed by JAMF Software claim the Mac is “easier to manage than other computer platforms” (and 78 percent see the iPhone and iPad as “easier to manage than other mobile device platforms.")

Tangible benefits

Discussing IBM’s much-reported session at the 2015 JAMF Nation User Conference (JNUC), he notes that employers now agree that less maintenance is needed for Macs. Apple’s move to support common standards and protocols is also making its platforms easier to support on legacy networks, even as enterprise IT modernizes for a new era of digital transformation.

“For those organizations who rely on legacy Windows apps, virtualization software like VMWare Fusion or Parallels make it easy to run OS X and Windows apps side-by-side,” he explains.

So where are we going? “The lines between personal and work life will continue to blur,” he said. Stressing the need for seamless integration between devices on all fronts, Alampi says: “These blurring of the lines will continue to serve as an advantage for those vendors who deliver a seamless experience. Apple has a clear advantage in this realm.”

Apple retains strength in the education market, where 94 percent of K-12 and 97 percent higher education organizations support its platforms. Mac and iPad adoption is climbing rapidly across the sector, with growth attributed to Apple’s rich app ecosystem, overall appeal and user preference, native security features, and the reduction of overall costs associated with device maintenance.

Unprecedented

“This research highlights what we at JAMF have been seeing for some time: User preference is driving the rise of Apple in enterprise and education,” said Dean Hager, CEO, JAMF Software. “While a lot of the attention of Apple’s success has been on its iOS devices, the survey results also show that Mac will continue to replace the PC at an unprecedented rate because it empowers users to be creative, productive, and happier in their jobs.”

This latest evidence seems to prove it will be Apple solutions that spur the digital transformation of everything. To access a free copy of the reports, visit: Managing Apple Devices in the Enterprise.

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