Microsoft and RIM Seeking to Grab Share from Android for the 2.4 Billion Enterprise Smartphone Subscribers in 2017

​New data from ABI Research estimates that by 2017, 2.4 billion employees will be using smartphones. This is a growth rate of 17% and represents nearly 3 times more smartphones than used by today’s employees.

According to enterprise practice director, Dan Shey, “’Billions’ not ’millions’ is the size of the BYOD smartphone market. Mobility suppliers and enterprises need to think in terms of serving all employees with tools, apps, and services via their smartphones instead of only mobile employees or corporate liable employees.”

The most immediate opportunities are in the mobile business customer base which includes employees using their phone for business reasons.  This group includes corporate liable, individual liable and prosumer acquired devices; prosumers are the largest segment in this group.  Smartphones among this group will grow to about 640 million employees by 2017.

Android has the dominant leadership position among the global workforce expected to grow to 56% by 2017.  However, it may never reach this level depending on the success of the Windows 8 and Blackberry 10 smartphone platforms.  “The question is will new smartphones from Microsoft and RIM put more power in the hands of the enterprise concerning employee mobile device use, particularly for accessing corporate resources?  Such change would directly impact enterprise device market share.”

The “Enterprise Mobile Devices” market data set provides biannual market segmentation analysis for the enterprise mobile device market.  Segmentation data is offered for smartphones at several levels including two employee segments, and by device operating system.  Media tablets will be added in 4Q2012.  All market data forecasts are provided for 7 world regions with additional segmentation for the US and Canadian markets.

These findings are part of ABI Research’s Enterprise Mobile Devices Research Service which includes Research Reports, Market Data, Insights, and Competitive Assessments.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.