PC ownership falling – 75pc of C-suite executives use tablet computers

11 Feb 2012

More than three-quarters of C-suite executives (CXOs) Own at least one tablet computer while 20pc have two or more, according to new research. Nearly all CXOs report owning iPad devices which they bought directly from Apple while Dell is the most owned laptop computer.

Frost & Sullivan’s analysis on 2011 EU CXOs’ Choice: Mobile Devices reports reliability and product quality as the most important features, with Apple as the best brand.

The laptop/notebook has emerged as the mostly widely owned mobile communication and computing product among CXOs in Europe, with an impressive 98 percent of the surveyed population using or owning one, finds Frost & Sullivan’s recent survey. More than 75 percent of CXOs surveyed have one tablet computer, while 20 percent report owing two or more tablet computers citing family needs, business/private use, and different locations.

CXOs want their laptop/notebook to work every time they use it and that all other features are secondary compared to reliability and product quality. Dell continues to be the most owned brand of laptop/notebook since 2009; however, European CXOs perceive Apple as the best brand.

PC ownership is declining

“Compared to Frost & Sullivan’s 2009 research, desktop personal computer ownership is declining, while tablet computerownership is rising,” says Christina Alfaro, Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst with Frost & Sullivan’s Customer Research Team.

Nearly all CXOs report owning/using Apple tablet computers, which are largely bought directly from manufacturers. Similar to laptops, the most important attributes in a tablet computer are reliability, overall quality, and screen clarity. The majority of CXOs have e-readers or use tablets as e-readers. More than eight out of ten of them use their e-readers during leisure time or business travel.

According to the survey, there has been a dip in the use of smartphones for purely business purposes in 2011 compared to 2009, as smartphones are also popular for personal purposes. “Overall, European CXOs perceive wireless communication and battery life as the most important smartphone features,” notes Alfaro. “However, most CXOs also rate overall quality and ease-of-use very highly, while security and applications compatibility are viewed as less important.”

In 2011, the most owned brand of smartphones was Apple, while in 2009, it was Blackberry. As ownership increased for Apple, it declined for Nokia, HTC, and Sony Ericsson. Most CXOs perceive Apple smartphones as the overall best brand of smartphones, followed by BlackBerry.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

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