Mobile devices vs PCs: Will mobile devices replace PCs in the enterprise?

Mobile devices vs PC….What would you choose if you were given a choice at your workplace? The majority of the answers are predictable. It’s not due to the poor performance of PCs. It’s because the mobility factor of mobile devices has influenced the users more. Mobile devices are just portable PCs; several tasks may be performed with ease utilizing them. Both can offer processing capabilities, execute software, and handle other functions, but there are other differences to consider.

Mobile devices vs PCs

Long back, our offices had huge monitors, big CPU boxes, UPS for unexpected power cuts, and more. Now, with the introduction of mobile devices, the scenario has changed.

Due to the shift in employee preferences, office activities such as attendance marking, quickly responding to conversations, and more, are now done at the employees’ fingertips. They have various options with mobile devices. They may carry their workplaces with them everywhere they go, whether they are traveling, commuting, working in the field, or sitting on a couch at home.

Mobile devices have become so powerful that it is reasonable to believe they may one day replace PCs in the enterprise. They are more compact, and you can slide them into your pocket and carry them everywhere you go.

The benefits offered by mobile devices include:-

Long battery life:

Mobile devices contain SOC (system on chips) that provide longer battery life and consume less power than PCs. The variation in screen size between PCs and mobile devices also contributes to this quality. This feature makes the portability of these devices much more appealing.

Speed and processing capability:

With each new reveal of a smartphone design or processing system, users discover enhanced capability with speeds that process quicker than their ordinary laptops. This feature implies that the common tasks like loading a webpage, checking mail, responding to chats, etc. are faster and more preferable to perform on mobiles than on laptops or PCs.

Improved security:

Most mobile devices have built-in encryption features. Encryption solutions available on them will help to safeguard storage. It’s not usually a disc in this scenario, but it’s still just storage that’s encrypted and accessible with a key. On the other hand, PCs need to have encryption enabled manually.

Less bandwidth usage:

Mobile devices require less bandwidth than PCs. Reports show that PC consume more data than mobile devices.

Even during a work-related emergency, we don’t need to have our computers with us. These portable devices help to solve the crisis wherever we are. It even provides the opportunity to work from home for the employees in an enterprise. It simplifies business processes. The portability and flexibility of these devices in an organization help them to treat their customers better. It provides a competitive advantage for organizations by allowing them to make faster and more collaborative choices.

On the other hand, even though people enjoy mobility, they miss large screens and keyboards. There are reasons why so many people prefer computers.

The benefits offered by PCs and laptops include:-

Better input options:

PCs provide a keyboard and mouse for input, which most people prefer due to familiarity and comfortable sizing.

More storage capacity:

Even the most basic PC nowadays comes with a 250 GB hard drive. Mobile devices have less storage capacity than PCs. In some cases, an expansion slot for an extra memory chip with removable storage may be offered for these mobile devices.

Enhanced productivity:

The PC’s environment comprises the use of larger displays to improve productivity, which includes accuracy as well as speed and simplicity of use.

Operating system:

Operating systems that are tailored to make use of powerful CPUs, bigger storage, and larger RAM are available for PCs and laptops.

Will Mobile devices replace PCs?

Mobile devices appear capable of doing anything nowadays, but that doesn’t imply we should say goodbye to PCs. Assume you need to execute a project with the assistance of certain software, but you are unable to use your smartphone due to a lack of processing power and storage capabilities. On laptops or desktop computers, you may manage your data more effectively, and work with more complex business software.

Laptops can also run far more powerful software than mobile devices. Thus, running a larger or more complicated application on a mobile device may quickly become a concern, but it would not be on a laptop. Hence the influence of PCs in an enterprise atmosphere cannot be completely ignored.

When considering a device, one of the most important factors is the display size. Computers and laptops can run many programs at the same time and have larger displays. Some tasks are simpler to perform on a laptop, such as editing images and videos, creating new websites, designing graphics, and so on.

Furthermore, if you need to conduct complex work that requires word processing, or Excel work, the screen size, keyboard, and mouse on a PC will help you be more productive. In fact, with the current scenario, we may conclude that mobile devices still have some ways to go before completely replacing PCs in the enterprise. 

Unify desktop and mobile device management with UEM

UEM influence on Mobile devices

In the near future, PCs will be completely replaced by mobile devices in business. With the growing popularity of mobiles and the drop in interest in personal computers (PCs), the importance of enterprise security has increased. Here lies the impact of UEM on mobile devices.

UEM solutions provide a simplified solution for managing mobile devices in any organization and ensure increased security. It has several device management features that help organizations control employees devices. The effect of UEMs may also accelerate the shift of PCs towards mobile devices in an enterprise. UEM supports the following features:

Containerization and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)

It eases the life of employees. Containerization organizes distinct, encrypted containers on personal devices to separate work apps and data from personal apps and data. By maintaining security, the UEM solution brings together user privacy and endpoint management.

Geofencing and location tracking

It helps the enterprise to locate and manage the mobile devices of its employees in an instant. Through this feature, the IT admins can fetch information about the device’s current location as well as the history of locations visited. Geofencing is a location-based service that associates policies with devices situated inside or outside of a specific region by defining virtual fences.

App management and configuration

UEM enables silent installation, updation, and removal of apps on a large number of devices within an enterprise. It even restricts the users from installing unproductive or hazardous apps on the device. The most recent versions of store and enterprise apps may be kept up to date through app configuration with UEM solutions by executing just over-the-air updates. It helps IT admins configure particular app settings remotely to meet the demands of the enterprise.

Network security

UEM solutions also help in the configuration of various network security tools such as Wi-Fi, VPN, and APN. By securing the network, the data in transit is not accessible to anybody else in the network, preventing anyone from eavesdropping on sensitive information.

Zero touch management of devices

UEM solution allows enterprises to manage all of their devices from a single console. Devices may be automatically re-provisioned following a factory reset with zero-touch deployment. Enterprises can simply install new technologies, combine resources, and improve rollout without downtime.

Conclusion

We truly don’t recall what life was like before mobile devices. Our mobile devices are now capable of replacing the technologies we once required. They are designed with the very definition of portability. We might consider the smartphone of today as the computer of tomorrow since fresh technology and creative concepts will be developed in the next years.

As per the Statista report, the number of smartphone users in 2022 has reached 6.6 billion. One of the ways technology advances is through generational shifts in scale. There were mainframes, minicomputers, workstations and PCs, and now mobile devices. The platform improves each time, and the work adapts to adjust to the new platform.