To iPad or not to iPad? Mixed messages from Gartner

Stuart Corner
Monday, 08 November 2010 13:34

Opinion and Analysis

Gartner is urging CEOs to embrace the iPad "sooner rather than later" while one of its distinguished analysts warns that over-zealous adoption of this and other smart portable devices will soon result in a massive security breach and an inevitable backlash. Can these views be reconciled?

Gartner's Sydney office issued a press release last week headed: "Gartner to CEOs: Seize The iPad Opportunity Now." It urged CEOs to "ask their marketing and product development teams to present a creative briefing as soon as possible, detailing how iPads could be used by the company and its competitors, because the iPad has the potential to be hugely disruptive to the business models and markets of many enterprises."

It quoted Gartner fellow and vice president, Stephen Prentice, warning that the "iPad looks set to become a market-disrupting device, like the iPod before it'¦Even if you think it is just a passing fad, the cost of early action is low, while the price of delay may well be extremely high."

This contrasts starkly with a blog posting the same week from Gartner VP and distinguished analyst Nick Jones who is waiting for a high profile corporate disaster precipitated by a breach of security on new smart mobile devices to dampen enterprises' growing enthusiasm and acceptance of these products.

When this happens, he suggests there will be a widespread backlash against such devices. "People like your CEO who led the demands for more device choice and freedom will probably be the first to beat down your door to demand more audits and controls."

And he singles out the iPad for particular mention in his "paranoid moment" saying: "Let's think about all those relatively unprotected iPads stuffed with corporate documents and email that are the accessory of the moment'¦"

While Jones' and Prentice's views might appear contradictory, they are both essentially correct. Analysts like Gartner's have been saying for several years that CIOs are coming under increasing pressure from both above and below to embrace smart personal devices within the enterprise IT ecosystem, and the iPhone has been in the vanguard of that movement almost since its launch.

They have also been warning that enterprises must take adequate steps to ensure that, by accommodating these devices, they do not expose their organisation to potential security breaches.

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