Two dominant platforms must defend their turf by embracing the "cool" factor Consumer buzz tends to center on two mobile phones: Apple iPhone and Google Android. As far as the enterprise is concerned however, these two phones remain down the list. ESG Research conducted a survey of 174 IT professionals from enterprise organizations (i.e. greater than 1,000 employees) and asked them which mobile device platforms their organizations support. Here is what they said:Phone: Support today: Will support in the future:Blackberry 74% 11%Windows Mobile 62% 9%iPhone 43% 18%Palm WebOS 24% 17%Google Android 8% 16%Symbian 7% 14%A few facts about the survey. First, it was conducted at the very end of 2009 so it doesn’t capture recent momentum or the impact of new products like iPad and iPhone 4. Additionally, this data comes from IT professionals in North America only.My read of this data is as follows:1. Blackberry retains a strong position. Yes, other data indicates a migration trend away from Blackberry and phone swaps are much more common than corporate PC to Mac swap outs. Nevertheless, Blackberry infrastructure is embedded in the enterprise so new “cool” products could become the corporate choice.2. Microsoft is teetering. Windows Mobile has a big installed base but most enterprises are looing closely at other phones. Microsoft has tried to link Windows Mobile to Office, Outlook, and Exchange but users want the pizazz of iPhones, Palms, and Androids. Can Microsoft catch up or will it produce the mobile device equivalent of Zune when the market wants iPods?3. Don’t count out HP. Palm was on a downward spiral with consumers but it seems to be holding its own in the enterprise. Now that it is owned by enterprise-savvy HP, it could really impact this space.4. Google remains in the distance. Google support is thin but many organizations will include Android support in the future. Nevertheless, it has a lot of work to do if it is going to push others aside and gain share in the enterprise market. Unlike consumers, enterprises want more than just cool devices — application development, device management, security, and integration into the existing infrastructure are all important considerations. Vendors need to find the right combination of consumer cool and corporate requirements support if they want to defend their position or gain share in the enterprise. Related content analysis 5 things security pros want from XDR platforms New research shows that while extended detection and response (XDR) remains a nebulous topic, security pros know what they want from an XDR platform. By Jon Oltsik Jul 07, 2022 3 mins Intrusion Detection Software Incident Response opinion Bye-bye best-of-breed? ESG research finds that organizations are increasingly integrating security technologies and purchasing multi-product security platforms, changing the industry in the process. By Jon Oltsik Jun 14, 2022 4 mins Security Software opinion SOC modernization: 8 key considerations Organizations need SOC transformation for security efficacy and operational efficiency. Technology vendors should come to this year’s RSA Conference with clear messages and plans, not industry hyperbole. By Jon Oltsik Apr 27, 2022 6 mins RSA Conference Security Operations Center opinion 5 ways to improve security hygiene and posture management Security professionals suggest continuous controls validation, process automation, and integrating security and IT technologies. By Jon Oltsik Apr 05, 2022 4 mins Security Practices Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe