Survey Shows Field Service Mobility Trends And Usage

By Cheryl Knight, contributing writer

Field service workers use a variety of different mobile devices to help them perform their tasks while away from the office. According to the Field Mobility report by Field Technologies Online, the breakdown of device use is 41 percent smartphones, 37 percent laptops, and 22 percent tablets.

Smartphones And Other Handhelds

When asked what type of handheld their workforce used, more than half, 52 percent, of survey respondents state their workers use consumer-grade handhelds and smartphones. Additionally, 22 percent of workers used semi-rugged and 26 percent used rugged devices. According to the survey, the top criteria used when choosing a device included its portability, wireless communication capabilities, and its overall cost.

When asked which devices they planned on using the next time their company upgraded, 78 percent say they plan on sticking with their current handhelds, 30 percent said they would consider a rugged or semi-rugged device, and 12 percent of those surveyed planned to use consumer grade laptops and tablets.

Laptops And Notebooks

When it comes to laptops and notebooks, 37 percent say they use consumer grade devices, while 48 percent stated they used rugged or semi-rugged mobile devices. The top three criteria for choosing a laptop, notebook, or convertible according to the survey are ruggedness and durability, the devices wireless capabilities, and cost.

When asked which devices they would consider for their company’s next upgrade, 58 percent say they would stick with laptops, 61 percent say they would consider rugged tablets and handhelds, and 35 percent are considering switching to consumer-grade devices.

Tablets

Survey responders in the final category, tablets, state that 45 percent use 10-inch consumer-grade products, 15 percent use10-inch rugged or semi-rugged devices, 17 percent use 7-inch consumer grade tablets, and 15 percent use 7-inch rugged or semi-rugged devices. As for criteria, the top three factors considered when buying a device include wireless communication capabilities of the tablet, its portability, and the operating system.

When it comes to going with a new form factor at their next refresh, 94 percent of respondents stated they planned to stick with tablets. A small amount, 7 percent, said they were planning on switching to a consumer grade laptop, and 7 percent planned on taking a look at rugged and semi-rugged handhelds to replace their current device.