The number of tablets in business use in Australia is expected to grow by at least 50% this year, according to the Roy Morgan Business Single Source Telecommunications Survey.
The proportion of Australian businesses using tablet computers is projected to increase in the next 12 months by 8 percentage points to 31%.
However, the study also showed that industries have embraced this new technology at different rates. While 37% of information, media and telecommunications (IMT) businesses are already using tablets, only 13% of agricultural businesses have a tablet computer.
The intention to take up tablet computers also varies, with IMT businesses the most likely to buy or replace tablets in the next 12 months (21%).
Other industries with the highest expected growth for tablets are wholesale trade businesses (18%), education and training businesses (17%) and professional, scientific and technical services (17%).
Amid such growth, most of the sales are likely to be to either micro businesses with less than five employees, or large businesses with more than 200 employees.
“While Apple’s iPad has clearly been the leading consumer tablet to date, there are reasons to doubt that it will maintain its dominant position as tablet usage extends into the business market,” said Nigel Smith, director of business research at Roy Morgan Research.
Smith said any of the major contenders - Microsoft, Google, Samsung and Blackberry - may develop the combination of productivity applications, price and ease of use that displaces Apple as the tablet market leader.