Jan 2006
Building a case for the mobile enterprise laptop as a permanent desktop replacement

The 451 Group believes that a number of simultaneous enterprise IT industry trends point to a major shift away from the desktop-bound worker toward a fully wireless and always-connected mobile knowledge worker. Mobile-enabled laptops are becoming cheaper, wireless networks are becoming faster and more ubiquitous, and the suite of software needed to securely connect the mobile worker with the office, on the go, is rapidly solidifying.

There are technology gaps that still need to be filled, though, if full enterprise mobility is to be realized. These gaps represent a substantial opportunity – and a new value chain – for four groups of enterprise IT vendors: those offering mobile VPN solutions, mobile device security software, mesh networking application software and wireless infrastructure. They also offer a significant opportunity for rich Internet application (RIA) vendors to grow into the mobile space and change the way enterprises build their internal business applications to support users on the move. A wireless and mobile world is emerging, and the vendors that grasp the new value chain early on will end up with a strategic edge over those that do not.

This 451 Special Report maps out how vendors in the new mobile enterprise value chain are likely to find success within this emerging (and rapidly growing) market opportunity – in many cases, serving as a disruptive force in the way emerging mobile-enabled enterprises will operate over the next 18-36 months. The report also defines the opportunities and challenges facing these vendors, while identifying those companies that are expected to last in the long term and those that will make suitable M&A targets for the stronger players that emerge.

The report includes competitive assessments of numerous vendors focusing on this space, complemented by technology gap analyses, market taxonomies and an in-depth look at the role M&A activity may play in the development of the market for technologies that enable the 'enterprise mobile laptop as desktop' trend.

This report is more than 300 pages in length and was written by Tony Rizzo, Sector Head for Mobile Software of The 451 Group, with support from Steve Wallage, Director of Research.

For more details about the report, including a brochure and a detailed table of contents, please fill out the form above, or contact our sales staff:

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About The 451 Group

The 451 Group is an independent technology industry analyst company focused on the business of enterprise IT innovation. The company’s analysts provide critical and timely insight into the market and competitive dynamics of innovation in emerging technology segments. Clients of the company – at vendor, investor, service- provider and end-user organizations – rely on 451 insight to support both strategic and tactical decision-making for competitive advantage.

The 451 Group is headquartered in New York, with offices in key locations, including San Francisco, London and Boston. For additional information on the company or to apply for trial access to its services, go to: www.the451group.com