Android Battling For The Mobile Field Service Market
By Cheryl Knight, contributing writer
Android is making major advancements in the battle for mobile device supremacy in the field service market. Android gained a 62 percent of the overall market share of the mobile market in 2013 — and doesn't show any signs of slowing down anytime soon. The biggest advantage the Android OS has over the competition lies in the sheer number of devices that can use the OS. When it comes to price, Android devices cost less than any of the major competitor’s devices.
In a recent Field Technologies Online interview, Xplore Technologies, which just launched its first Android tablet, listed some of the benefits of Android OS. “Android offers a flexible, cost effective option for enterprise deployment. The operating system has rapidly matured, and has become a stable platform that will only continue to improve.” Xplore also points out Android has an open architecture that allows for customization, more flexibility in configuration deployment and management over competitors, and it allows IT departments to develop and manage internal apps. Xplore added, “We are also seeing more applications written for Android in field services, and more trials are being set up in the military space. This is particularly interesting given the fact that before now, Android has been nonexistent in this industry.”
Competition remains for Android, however. BlackBerry has taken great strides to bolster its offerings for field service applications, including the ability to monitor product bulletins, service trends, repair workarounds, and ticket updates. When assessing device security, BlackBerry offers one of lowest security risks compared to the other operating systems. Windows and Apple also offer low malware attack rates. In addition, the Windows OS provides a dynamic interface and the ability for users to customize its Live Tiles, and Apple iOS is known for its easy-to-use and intuitive interface.
In her article “Will Android Soon Dominate the Mobile Field Service Market” for Business2Community, Gina Matteucci points out your clients could be considered the real winners in the battle: “While the constant tug-of-war game between Android and other operating systems can seem overwhelming to keep up with, it is actually good for your service organization. Competition between software companies keeps costs down and amps up innovation so consumers receive the most creative solutions. Software companies duking it out for the top spot result in better, more affordable hardware and software for everyone.”