Mobile Device Battles - Case Study Example

Mobile Device Battle Name: Waleed Ali Al Shehhi 200790179 Date 05-06-2013 Table of Contents Mobile Device Battle 1 Table of Contents 2 MOBILE DEVICE BATTLE 18 2 Abstract 3 1. Introduction 4 2.1 Apple Ios 5 2.2 Android Platform 6 2.3 Windows Mobile 7 2.4 Types of mobile devices 8 3. Importance of Mobile Devices in Business 9 4. Challenges Faced in using Mobile Devices in Business 10 5. Market penetration in the UAE 12 Statistics on the mobile device platforms in 2012: Alexander (2012) 12 6. Analysis and Findings 12 7. Recommendations 13 AmeInfo, (2012). Signature windows phone 8x and 8s by HTC launched in UAE. Retrieved on March 11th 2013 from:http://www.ameinfo.com/signature-windows-phone-8x-8s-htc-317347. 15 Hanz, W. (2013).The Advantages of Mobile Phones in Business. Retrieved on March 11th, 2013 from:http://www.ehow.com/list_5744853_advantages-mobile-phones-business.html. 15 Soule, G. (2013). ‘Mobile Devices in Business. ‘The Greater Lansing Business Monthly. Retrieved on March 11th 2013 from: http://www.lansingbusinessmonthly.com/articles/department-columns/110-current- month/2448-mobile-devices-in-business.html. 16 8. Summary and Future Work 133 References 134 Appedix 136 Abstract Mobile devices have been competing in the market and their entry into the market has been so loud and fast. Neglecting the developments realized in the mobile industry takes some effort. The different mobile platforms have ventured into the market with the view of capturing the interest of the market by providing features that are meant to attract the market. Some platforms have targeted the business world while some target entertainment and communication. Use of these platforms in organizations has been on the rise and this has been projected to rise even further, surpassing the use of PCs in the near future. In this report, the mobile device battle shall be presented. Mobile Device Battle 1. Introduction In present world technology, there are forces in the social, cloud, mobile and information technology and these forces are being converged with the advent of new technologies as well as advancing technologies. The aim of these forces is to revolutionize the society and business by disrupting the old models and developing new opportunities. Gartner (2013) referred to this as the “Nexus of Forces” stating it as the basis of platform for future technology. These forces have been the reason for the rising battle in mobile devices and there have been the growing use of these devices in the market. It is for this reason that Gartner foresaw the overtaking of PCs by mobile phones by the year 2013. This paper presents a report on the mobile device battle. It will look at the various mobile device platforms with the view to explaining the pros and cons of each of these devices. The report shall also present the market penetration of these devices into the UAE market along providing recommendations for organizations while selecting the devices for their use. While making the report, the guiding objectives shall be to identify the different types of mobile platforms and the contribution of each mobile device. It will also deliver the market penetration of the devices in the UAE together with stating the level of impact that has been realized by each device. The recommendations stated shall also form part of the objectives of the report. 2. Literature Review 2.1 Apple Ios Different types of mobile device platforms exist. These include the Apple iOS, Android and Windows. The Apple iOS is the mobile operating system for apples products like the iPod, iPhone, iPad and apple TV. Its initial name was iPhone OS but this was changed in 2010 so as to reflect the evolving support that the operating system offered for apple devices. Several developments have been realized in the apple operating system with the current version of the iOS standing at version 6.x (Webopedia, 2013). This demonstrates the rapid development that is realized in the mobile phone device. The developments of each new version are meant to improve the existing version. For instance, recent versions of the iOS have been developed and they incorporate a number of new and powerful features to the mobile operating system. The most notable developments include an instant messaging client that is in-built and known as imessage. Additionally, there is the built-in support service for the personal cloud storage of Apple’s icloud together with the application for voice recognition known as the Apple siri. Connolly (2011) stated that the platform has made tremendous milestones by the enhancement of its features with every new version and most importantly because the developments come from the mistakes made so as to fight off the stiff competition of mobile device features in the market. 2.2 Android Platform The Android platform for mobile devices has an operating system, a middleware together with vital applications for use on the mobile phone. From the time this platform was released, it has attracted interest from various companies and from developers. The software platform has constantly been improved from the time it was released. The improvements have been in terms of the added features or additional support hardware. This mobile device platform by Google was meant for devices like the smart phones net books and the PDA. This operating system runs powerful applications and provides users with the choice of selecting their applications and their carriers. Nisarg and Rahila (2011) purported that this platform was made with different sets of users in mind. The stated users are those who could use the capacity that was within android at the different levels. It has since gained strength in the mobile and other industries that have various hardware architectures. This interest comes from two features that Android has: the architectural model and the open-source nature. As a project that is open-source, it allows the users to understand and analyze it fully thus enabling comprehension of features, fixing of bugs, additional improvements in terms of new functionalities and the ability to be ported to new software. Android has an architecture model that is based on the Linux kernel and this feature brings in the application of Linux into the mobile industry. This additional feature allows Android to make use of the features and knowledge that is offered by Linux. In addition, this platform has several layers that ensure there is a complete stack of software. Furthermore, applications from Android are based on Java, a factor that makes them use a virtual machine environment. This brings in all the advantages of the virtual machine. For instance, Android uses a virtual machine of its own called Dalvik. This virtual machine interprets then executes byte codes that are java-style after its transformation and this is optimized to work on the platform. It is therefore an appealing target that can be used for other environments. 2.3 Windows Mobile The Windows Mobile operating system is a proprietary OS that was initially created to act as the Windows’ mobile version having a user interface that complies with the current versions of Windows. This OS finds its basis on version 5.2 kernel of Windows CE. Sapuppo et al (2009) stated that the trends of user interfaces seen on smart phones inspired this operating system into updating new interfaces for users. This included an application store called Windows Marketplace from Microsoft. The operating system has a number of other applications; although they lack the innovative steps and creative layout that is characteristic of the iphone. There is a great recognition by Microsoft for manageable, converged and dominant mobile computing. For this reason, the Windows mobile operating system has been combined with the Exchange Server and other technologies for Microsoft platform to provide a mobile solution that is centered on businesses. The OS has been designed to support mobile applications and to ensure data access including messaging, voice calls and calendaring. Further, it was stated in a report by Microsoft (2012) that the Microsoft Windows operating system is diverse and uses Microsoft applications from over 18,000 applications. These applications come from third party developers. 2.4 Types of mobile devices There are various types of mobile devices that exist in the market today. These devices are increasingly rising and according to West (2012), the number of mobile devices is forecasted to rise to one billion by the year 2016. Some of these devices include the smart phones, iPads, tablets, PDAs, iPhones, iPods, and many other devices. These mobile devices have found great use in business and recently, the AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants)carried out a survey and found out that the use and control of mobile devices came out as a key technology concern among financial executives (Soule, 2013). Smart phones are being used in many ways and are found to come second to only laptops as part of the arsenal of devices that executives require. A survey carried out by Forbes Insights (2010) showed that 87 % of executives made use of laptops. Additionally, 82 % of the respondents indicated that they had smart phones or some kind of smart phone. Some businesses have deployed the bring-your-own-device approach where workers come with their own smart phones and connect them to the corporate system. 3. Importance of Mobile Devices in Business An analysis of the importance of mobile devices in the business environment shows that they provide an improved performance of hardware. They also provide a platform feature that is more robust in addition to bringing an increased bandwidth of communication. The devices have also expanded the capabilities of communication beyond email and voice (Kao, 2011). Hanz (2013) added that use of mobile phone devices in the work place facilitates quick and consistent communication because individuals can stay in contact at all times. These devices allow individuals to remain focused, organized, reachable, and remain updated with the latest on business operations. These features are achieved from the fact mobile devices are portable, accessible, have internet connections that are convenient and they improve the capabilities of business organizations. Using mobile devices in business takes organization and structure of the business to a higher level. This is because the owners, representatives and managers can have a variety of information including email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses and names all in a compact device. The programs and applications that have been incorporated in the mobile devices make the work done in business to be easy. For instance, the Windows Market place application offered by the Windows Mobile platform makes it easier for a business owner to look into the market and predict the trends in the market. One of the organizations that have made effective use of mobile phone devices is the Sheraton Hotel. This was because of the need by the hotel to create a difference at a time when every manager had a smart phone in their pocket. They recognized to take advantage of the fact that every manager had a smart phone by encouraging its use in the business. The organization was among the pioneers in the use of Blackberry and is now using smart phones throughout the organization. The hotel’s employees find this useful because the devices have fixed features on their devices. According to Verhaeghe (2011), this technology has enhanced interaction with customers and it has also helped the company in maintaining sophisticated control of costs. Mobile devices help increase the productivity of employees because they get access to business resources and enjoy in the continuous association with business partners and their colleagues. Furthermore, it has been stated that mobile devices improve the services delivered to clients. An appropriate example in this case is that of sales employees who will deliver satisfaction to customers by interfacing regularly with customers and giving efficient responses. The overall cost of information technology is also stated to be reduced when mobile devices are used in business. The company saves on IT expenses by allowing employees to use their own mobile devices together with their own wireless services since they pay for these services themselves. Not only does the company save on the cost of service use but also saves on the cost of purchasing the devices (Kao, 2011). 4. Challenges Faced in using Mobile Devices in Business The main challenge that is posed by the increased use of mobile devices is the threat of security to the organization. Kao (2011) contended that there is a great risk to the security of the enterprise because the devices have wide access to the organization’s data. Since business information is used by employees on their personal devices, there is a risk of exposure of this information. This calls for the need to secure the devices like it is done with personal computers. The challenge that is faced in securing these devices is that of finding a security application for each of the mobile device. The variety of mobile device platforms requires the each of the platform to have its own security model. Another challenge to ensuring security is that business information and personal information are mixed in the mobile devices. It is therefore difficult to get the balance between providing strict security and private information. Some of the applications that are used in mobile devices could be unauthorized for business. This therefore increases the probability of spread of malware, which affects the device’s integrity and the integrity of the business data that is in the device. Additionally, the devices are prone to theft or loss because of their small size and their portability. If lost, corporate data is risked in the corporate network and on the mobile device. The various communication channels that are used in mobile devices can be used to launch malicious attacks on the mobile devices since these devices are always on. Currently, less prepared organizations are facing a crisis of capability. Mobile devices have become an urgent priority for the organizations’ clients. They basically ask for digital as well as marketing strategies which are mobile and more sophisticated. This requires competent teams with the ability to connect the insights, technology and creativity. Not many organizations are able to apply the required mobile domain expertise and be able to integrate the capabilities that are in position to breakthrough ideas. Lately, there has been a wide diversity as far as the devices are concerned. There are availability of features and proprietary platforms. The advanced designs, in most cases, are not always optimal for learners due to restricted abilities for text entry. The development of writing skills has been hampered greatly due to the fact that text messaging has promoted abbreviations and text slang in writing. 5. Market penetration in the UAE In the UAE, entry of the Android platform has faced challenges because it had been previously blocked in the UAE and other Middle East countries. At the moment, the use of this device is slowly being adopted by people in the UAE (West, 2012). The Apple iOS platform has been faced by a number of criticisms in the UAE and its entry has also been limited. This is because some of its application had been blocked and there was the issue of compatibility between the Apple accessories. The Windows Mobile platform has been widely welcome and used in the UAE since its entry in the market. This is attributed to the business features that are characteristic of the operating system. Most business organizations in the UAE therefore prefer to have the operating system that they find custom-designed to suit the business environment and this is found in the Windows Mobile platform (AmeInfo, 2012). In the UAE, the Android platform is dominant as the below table shows. 2012 2011 Android 46.9% 45.7% Apple 24.4% 25.1% Windows 28.7% 29.2% Statistics on the mobile device platforms in 2012: Alexander (2012) 6. Analysis and Findings The work done on mobile device battles have been investigated by comparison of the features that are offered by the various mobile platforms. From this comparison, it has been shown that the mobile devices battle to meet various requirements in the market (Hanz, 2013). In other cases, the devices have found inspiration from their competitor platforms to improve their products. Windows Mobile derived the inspiration to develop the Windows Mobile 8 from the smart phones that have been in existent. The trend found in the research shows that mobile devices will continue to grow in their use and in the near future they will overtake the use of PCs (Hanz, 2013). 7. Recommendations The choice of a mobile platform for an organization depends on what the organization needs as the key features. The organizations should select a platform that will be best suited for its operations. The platform meets the need of demonstrating return on investment and reducing the total cost of ownership by utilizing the existing knowledge and technology and hence streamlines the features of security and device management. It also meets the need of standardizing mobile devices across the enterprise from a regional all through to the national scale. This is made possible by the design which makes it possible to be deployed at any scale. It also facilitates central management through devices and types of devices. Based on the research done in this paper, the Windows mobile platform is best suited for most business organizations because of the following reasons: It has pre-installed business applications that can be used in running various business programs. The platform is stable hence reliable as a business platform. 8. Summary and Future Work The battle of mobile devices is predicted to go on for a long period of time. This is because of the increasing discoveries that are being made in new features and the development of features that are meant to suit the ever evolving world. Therefore, these mobile devices will continue competing in providing features that will always come as improvements of the existing ones. Further, the mobile platforms are always ready to identify the mistakes they make from the previous versions of their applications and their models and it is this that serves as a basis for improvement. Further research on this work should look to investigate the difference between applications from different platforms which perform similar functions. This should demonstrate the most suitable platforms in providing the applications. Finally, future work should be done on the ways in which the various platforms differ in terms of their security features. The most secure platform will definitely work out as the best platform for choice. References AmeInfo, (2012). Signature windows phone 8x and 8s by HTC launched in UAE. Retrieved on March 11th 2013 from:http://www.ameinfo.com/signature-windows-phone-8x-8s-htc-317347. Connoly, P. (2011). Apple's iOS 5: A Good Fit.Vol. 28 Issue 18. pp. 22-23. Forbes Insights, (2010).The Untethered Executive: Business Information in the Age of Mobility. Retrieved on March 11, 2013 from: http://www.forbes.com/forbesinsights/untethered_executive/index.html. Gartner, Inc.(2013). Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2013. Retrieved on March 5, 2013 from: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2209615. Hanz, W. (2013).The Advantages of Mobile Phones in Business. Retrieved on March 11th, 2013 from:http://www.ehow.com/list_5744853_advantages-mobile-phones-business.html. Kao, I. (2011). Securing mobile devices in the business environment. Thought Leadership White Paper.IBM Global Technology Services. Microsoft (2012).Windows Mobile: Executive Guide for Technical Decision Makers. Microsoft, USA. Nisarg, G. &Rahila, S. (2011). “Google Android: An Emerging Software Platform For Mobile Devices.” International Journal on Computer Science & Engineering.  Pp.12- 17. Sapuppo et al (2009). “Mobile Platforms -An analysis of Mobile Operating Systems and Software development platforms.”Center for Communication, Media and Information technologies. Denmark. Soule, G. (2013). ‘Mobile Devices in Business. ‘The Greater Lansing Business Monthly. Retrieved on March 11th 2013 from: http://www.lansingbusinessmonthly.com/articles/department-columns/110-current- month/2448-mobile-devices-in-business.html. Verhaeghe, I. (2011). Sheraton, Retrieved on March 11th 2013 from: http://www.krachtengebundeld.be/en/high/case-sheraton.php. West, D. (2012). ‘How Mobile Devices are Transforming Healthcare.’ Issues in Technology Innovation.No. 18. pp. 1-14. Webopedia, 2013.Apple iOS. Retrieved on March 10th 2013 from: http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/A/apple_ios.html. Appendixes Appendix A: Advantages and disadvantages of each platform Advantages Disadvantages AppleiOS Is secure and does not need a third party antivirus for protection High quality OS Consistent and highly useable Is trustworthy Regulated and cannot be used by third parties Is not open source Poor at multi-tasking Android Additional features from the Linux kernel. The virtual machine feature makes it suitable for other environments. Has open access Not restricted to third party access Is a universal operating system Is less consistent Open access gives way for entry of undesirable features into the system Windows Mobile Is a versatile platform since it supports various languages and development kits Is stable and allows quick switch between applications Effective for business since it has installed business applications Limited amount of available applications Less creative functionality Appendix B: Graph on trends of mobile device use Read More