The Sustainability Gap in Mobile Computing

Sustainability is a priority watchword at the top of the agenda for most organisations. So, it was worrying to see in our latest research that there appears to be a Sustainability Gap when organisations purchase their mobile computing devices. Despite an increasing awareness of sustainability issues and a general desire to use computing devices for longer, many businesses were still stuck in the mindset of the four-year technology refresh cycle for their mobile workforce.

The reality is that with the new modular design of mobile computing devices and the extended support available for the latest generation of notebooks and tablets, there really is an opportunity for businesses to extend the life of the technology used by the mobile workforce, simplify management and improve total cost of ownership.

So just how do organisations reset their approach to buying technology for the mobile workforce and close the Sustainability Gap? We think there are a number of ways. First, by engaging the workforce more in pilot projects before purchase, buyers can ensure devices are much more closely matched to the users’ needs.

Secondly, by purchasing the latest modular designed devices, the technology can be customised by users in the field to different requirements or repurposed later for another purpose within the business.

Combine this with the incredible CPU and memory performance available in the latest generation of devices, with the ability to upgrade as required and the long-term extended support being offered by some manufacturers and there are reasons to be optimistic