When it Comes to Business Mobile, Apple Rules

When you own business adoption in tablets, apps, and mobile devices, you must be doing something right. According to Good Technology, Apple AAPL was the clear winner in Q2 and Q3 over Google GOOG Android and Microsoft MSFT Windows, when it comes to enterprise adoption of operating systems.

In terms of sheer numbers, it’s not much of a contest. Apple’s business share for mobile devices was 72 percent, for tablets 90 percent, and for apps a whopping 95 percent according to Good’s Mobility Index Report for Q2 and Q3 2013.

In both device activations and custom app development, iOS dominated. This is not to say Android was stagnant. In fact, according to the Good report, Android business app deployment almost tripled from Q2 to Q3. This might be an indication that businesses are becoming more comfortable with the Android OS as a platform.

Nonetheless, Android’s 27 percent of device activations in Q3 paled in comparison to the 72 percent achieved by iOS. On the other hand, Windows Phone garnered just one percent of device activations making it something less than an “also ran” when it comes to enterprise use.

The Good report included both device and app analytics for more than 5,000 organizations in 130 countries according to AppleInsider.

There is a certain incongruity to Apple’s status as the leader in enterprise mobile deployment while, at the same time, Android enjoys a reputed 80 percent share in the general consumer market.

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Of course, as AppleInsider pointed out, Android numbers are often based on estimated shipments rather that actual deployment.

Apple’s numbers in the business environment are even more impressive when taking into account the fact that iOS is not being mandated by companies in the same way Windows traditionally was.

A recent joint survey by TechTarget and ZK Research and referenced in the Good report, found that 65 percent of IT professionals have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policy and an additional 23 percent are in the midst of developing one.

Apple Insider concluded this means both businesses and those who work in business were selecting iOS for business use, despite the fact iOS devices tend to be more expensive.

Another factor in Apple’s dominance has to do with custom app development.

According to the Good report, "While Android is gaining enterprise market share on the device side, iOS dominates as platform of choice for enterprise app deployment, with 98 percent and 95 percent of total app activations in Q2 and Q3 respectively."

Finally, there’s the matter of the hardware itself. Apple Insider pointed out that although Android has seen remarkable success in smartphones, it lags when it comes to tablets. With total tablet activations standing at 90 percent for iOS, it will likely be some time before Android catches up.

Especially considering the fact that Apple is expected to release a new crop of iPads very soon.

At the time of this writing, Jim Probasco had no position in any mentioned securities.