The iPad 2 goes on sale March 11, and while industry analysts and pundits generally agree it will solidify Apple’s lead in the tablet market, there is more missing than Flash and 4G support on the update to the original model, say some analysts.
Namely, the iPad 2 falls a bit short in ensuring IT that the device will be enterprise-worthy, Jack Gold, principal analyst at J.Gold Associates, told InternetNews.com
Avi Greengart, analyst at CurrentAnalysis, believes the iPad 2 cements Apple’s lead in the sector, but agrees with Gold’s assessment. “Apple talked about how the iPad is being used in vertical markets (particularly healthcare, which makes for attractive visuals during presentations), but it did not add anything new for enterprise users. This leaves HP and RIM an opening to position their tablets for the enterprise market with purpose-built features,” he wrote in a research note to clients.
Of course that doesn’t mean businesses aren’t going to embrace it, as the original version is already seeing strong enterprise adoption in fields such as education and health care. Helping to bridge the gap in enterprise-grade features are a host of third-party vendors such as Zenprise, MobileIron, Sybase and Good Technology that are rolling out mobile management software services for iOS devices at a rapid clip.
Still, this may be one area where the competition may be able to gain some traction. For instance, Research In Motion is prepping the launch of its BlackBerry PlayBook in April, which is aimed at businesses, and the Motorola Xoom’s feature set is garnering rave reviews, especially in comparison to the iPad.
