Business opts for tablets over PCs - report

A new report has found a radical decline in the number of businesses planning to replace their desktop and laptop fleet.

According to the Roy Morgan Business Survey, the percentage of businesses planning fleet renewal plunged from 20.3 percent to 17.6 percent.

The bright spot is in the number of organisations planning to buy or replace tablet computers. This number increased 23 percent, from 10.9 percent of surveyed businesses to 13.4 percent.

“It is clear that many businesses are finding that tablets provide an operational and technological boost beyond what can be achieved with PCs and laptops alone,” said Nigel Smith, director of business research, in a statement.

“Microsoft’s well-publicised problems with Windows 8 sales may be particularly apparent in the business market, where PC procurement appears to be on hold,” he continued.

“The reluctance of businesses to upgrade their desktop PCs may also be due to the overall economic climate. Businesses that expect their overall performance to decline over the next 12 months are much less likely to upgrade – and in the last 12 months the proportion of businesses who are pessimistic has increased."