Survey: Mac, iPhone and iPad are Easier to Manage than Rival Devices

MINNEAPOLIS, MN--(Marketwired - Mar 7, 2017) - As user choice drives Apple adoption in business and education, IT reveals Apple devices are in fact easier to manage than other rival devices, such as PC, Chromebook, and Android. This is a key finding from the third annual global survey of IT professionals on Apple adoption across enterprise, K-12 and higher education organizations commissioned by Jamf, the leader in Apple device management.

Apple Adoption Prevalent in the Enterprise
Consistent with Apple reports, Apple is gaining ground in the enterprise. Ninety-one percent of businesses use Mac and 99 percent use iPhone, iPad or both. User preference is driving Apple's penetration in the enterprise, and this demand for Apple is being met through device choice programs. Nearly half of organizations surveyed (44 percent) offer employees a choice between Mac and PC, with the majority (71 percent) offering a choice between iPhone and other mobile device brands.

It is clear that today's IT department is managing a mixed-device environment. When asked how managing Apple devices stack up against the competition, IT ranked Mac and iOS devices as easy, if not easier, to manage than other device brands. 

Summary of Key Enterprise Survey Findings:

• 99 percent of companies now have iOS devices in use; 91 percent have Mac users.
• Usage of Mac (74 percent) and iOS (76 percent) devices increased over the previous year.
• Mac is as easy or easier to manage than PC on five critical tasks: deployment (62 percent), security (66 percent), device configuration (58 percent), software and app deployment (57 percent), and support (63 percent).
• iOS is as easy or easier to manage than other mobile devices when doing the following: deployment (93 percent), security (90 percent), device configuration (91 percent), software and app deployment (90 percent), and support (89 percent).

Apple Leading the Charge in Education
Apple devices are also prominent in education. Seventy percent of K-12 schools use Mac, while a substantial 90 percent use iPad to enhance education. The story is similar in higher education, with an even greater percentage (80 percent) using Mac and 94 percent leveraging iPad. Growth of Mac and iPad devices in education is attributed to user preference, better security and overall less maintenance.

Similar to the enterprise, the education sector agrees that Mac and iPad are easier to manage than other devices. In fact, K-12 and higher education respondents believe Mac and iPad management is even easier than their commercial counterparts.

Summary of Key K-12 Education Survey Findings:

• 90 percent of K-12 schools use iOS devices; 70 percent use Mac.
• Usage of Mac (83 percent) and iPad (81 percent) increased in K-12 in 2016.
• Security (55 percent), less maintenance (48 percent), and user preference (46 percent) are the top three factors driving Mac adoption in K-12.
• Mac is easier to manage than PC on five critical tasks in K-12: deployment (76 percent), security (75 percent), device configuration (69 percent), software and app deployment (66 percent), and support (69 percent).
• iPad is easier to manage than other tablets when doing the following: deployment (77 percent), security (65 percent), device configuration (71 percent), software and app deployment (66 percent), and support (66 percent).

Summary of Key Higher Education Survey Findings:

• 94 percent of higher education organizations have iOS users; 80 percent use Mac.
• 87 percent of higher education institutions saw an increase in both Mac adoption and iPad adoption over the previous year.
• User preference (64 percent), security (51 percent), and less maintenance (45 percent) are the top three factors driving Mac adoption in higher education.
• Mac is easier to manage than PC in higher education on five critical tasks: deployment (65 percent), security (64 percent), device configuration (53 percent), software and app deployment (54 percent), and support (61 percent).
• iPad is easier to manage than other tablets when doing the following in higher education: deployment (60 percent), security (52 percent), device configuration (56 percent), software and app deployment (56 percent), and support (53 percent).

To access free copies of the reports, visit:

• Managing Apple Devices in the Enterprise
• Managing Apple Devices in K-12 Education
• Managing Apple Devices in Higher Education

Survey Methodology
This survey -- conducted in January 2017 by Dimensional Research -- is based on the responses from nearly 300 commercial business, 300 K-12, and 300 higher education IT professionals, managers and executives from small, medium, and large organizations around the world.

Comment on the News
"The 2016 Apple Trends Survey confirms what Jamf has been seeing for some time," said Dave Alampi, vice president of product management and marketing, Jamf. "Not only is Apple gaining momentum in the enterprise due to user preference, but IT is finding that with the right mobile device management solution, Mac, iPhone and iPad are easier to manage and enable a better overall experience for users."

About Jamf
Since 2002, Jamf has been solely focused on helping organizations succeed with Apple. Jamf is committed to enabling IT to empower end users and bring the legendary Apple experience to businesses, education and government organizations via its Jamf Pro and Jamf Now products, and the 42,000+ member Jamf Nation. Today, 10,000 global customers rely on Jamf to manage more than seven million Apple devices. To learn more, visit: https://www.jamf.com.