Apple's iPad has pitfalls for enterprise users
The iPad appears to lack manageability and security features that could make it a hazard for enterprises
Apple's iPad tablet could be an attractive business tool, but it lacks security and manageability features that enterprises need, analysts said on Wednesday.
Apple's new iPad is a handheld device that is designed for browsing the Internet, playing games, reading e-books, and viewing video content. It fills a product hole between the iPhone smartphone and MacBook laptop, said Apple CEO Steve Jobs at a press event on Wednesday.
[ Also on InfoWorld: Get the key information on the new iPad in Galen Gruman's "What you should know about Apple's tablet" and Paul Krill's "New iPad means iPhone developers need to think different." And find out "Why the iPad will kill the netbook (and the Chrome OS)" ]
Priced starting at $499, the device may have a broad appeal that could bring it into enterprise environments, analysts said. However, it could create a new set of challenges for IT departments.
Apple offers a customized version of the iWork suite for the iPad, which includes word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications priced at $10 each. The iPad also includes the Safari browser, which can be an effective client for Web-based applications.
However, the device has limited manageability and security features, which could be a concern for enterprises looking to manage the device remotely, analysts said.
For example, if the device gets stolen, there appears to be no way for IT administrators to deploy a push policy that locks it, said Chris Hazelton, research director for mobile and wireless technologies at The 451 Group. That feature is available on the iPhone, but Apple's documentation for the iPad says nothing about such policies. Hazelton predicts that such capabilities could be implemented in the iPad over time if enterprise use of the product grows.
Hazelton also suspects that the iPad lacks support for features like VPN (virtual private networks) and push email. Because the iPad doesn't seem to support Microsoft Exchange (which Hazelton suspects is the case, due to Apple's zero mentions of it in the iPad documentation), it may be difficult for IT administrators to manage email on the devices, Hazelton said. (Apple did not respond to InfoWorld's requests to clarify whether the iPad had the same Exchange, VPN, and management capabilities as the iPhone. Its Web site doesn't say either way.)
