Making the most of mobile 

Mobile devices can be used for far more in business than just sending email. A big trend in enterprise software is to bring a lot of the benefits that we enjoy in consumer apps to business apps.

An example is the use of the camera, which apps such as Snapchat have used to great effect. The camera is an incredibly useful tool for businesses, too. At Worldspan, we have built apps for customers where the camera is used to do brand audits, track supplier deliveries, scan QR codes, and much more. The camera is the real workhorse of computing in the 21st Century, and it can help streamline many business processes.

Another benefit of mobile devices is GPS integration, which allows the location of the device to be recorded. This allows an app to take a photo, and associate it with a certain location, which is great when taking photos out in the field.

And finally, with the increasing popularity of machine learning, mobile devices are able to understand a lot more about the world around us than ever before. In particular, image classification, whereby objects can be recognised within images, is poised to transform many common workflows. Imagine taking a photo of a car, and the system telling you which model of car it is, and who owns it. The technology is already here.

Along with the portability benefits of mobile technology, and people’s familiarity with it, mobile devices are ready to take a larger role in businesses.

The brutally competitive smartphone and tablet industry has resulted in amazing value for both consumers and businesses. Arguably, there is no better deal in hardware technology right now than a £330 iPad. It has a high definition screen, laptop-level performance, all-day battery life, robust build quality and at least five years of security updates. When coupled with the right software, it is a compelling option for businesses looking to invest in leveraging mobile technology.

A common concern is ‘what if the devices get stolen?’ The devices can be enrolled in a Mobile Device Management (MDM) system, which allows you to track the location of the devices, restrict which apps can be installed, and even remotely deactivate them.

So the next time you’re purchasing IT equipment, or troubleshooting a business problem, think whether mobile technology can help revolutionise your approach.