One of the main contributions that technology has given to human beings is the freedom to perform activities in different ways and from different locations, with the complete certainty that the end result will still be correct.
The rapid pace imposed by the technology market has meant that large and medium-sized enterprises around the globe are constantly changing their ways of working. Mobility has been implemented in business relationships, and it is even imposed as a mandatory requirement in worker’s profiles. Thus, the mobile character of individuals has made it necessary to have a mobile technology, which is what guarantees the freedom in space and time.
Once more, the figures reflect the trends of the business world, such as the disuse of desktops, which need to make way for mobile devices.
On the one hand, according to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in the third quarter of 2011 the Spanish PC market fell 37%. It is curious that, by category, desktops have declined by 24.8% while laptop sales have dropped by 40.3%. In turn and in both cases, the reduction in sales was less when it comes to equipment for the professional field. And for the latter, Gartner confirms that in the third quarter of 2011 sales of mobile devices have risen worldwide by around 5.6% over the same interval of the previous year. Smartphones have played an important role in this ranking, recording a sales increase of 42%.
One conclusion that can be obtained from these surveys, is that companies continue to bet on the desktop for “sedentary” workers, while “nomadic” employees mainly use mobile devices, which allow them to stay connected, access data, and create new information at any time from any location.
Printing from the Internet
The dynamism of working online is embodied in the electronic document, characterized by both quality and agility, which enables optimal and efficient communication between different types of businesses.
In some cases it is not necessary to print these documents, however, in other cases it is still essential to do so. In fact, studies suggest a boom in mobile printing, i.e. an increase in the number of pages being printed from mobile devices. In particular, printing online by accessing internal corporate or public documents for later printing from the Internet from your mobile device.
Once again we turn to the numbers in order to tangibly confirm the market trend. According to an IDC study, published by HP, the explosion of digital content has multiplied by 10 during this decade, which is why HP focuses on next-generation printers based on e-Print technology. This technology can help companies in general, and traveling employees in particular, get the most out of their mobile devices.
In recent years, users have had to rely on a PC connected to a network printer via WiFi or the traditional cable connection to print while traveling. Now, printing possibilities have been increased with the launch of smartphones such as Blackberry and iPhone and platforms such as Android, as they ensure that stored documents can be printed from nearly all new smartphones.
Printing from mobile devices is now highly demanded by mobile employees, who have found a practical alternative that fits the way they work. Printing from different types of mobile devices will become even more popular in the future, which will – without a doubt – have a positive impact on printer manufacturers, as well as indirectly affect companies from other sectors.
There is no doubt that the increased use of mobile devices will mean that more and more information will be written and exchanged, which, at the same time, will impact the efficiency of business processes providing important benefits. Once again, the market will bet on companies that invest in this type of technological infrastructure and implement software and printing solutions that facilitate online printing or printing from the Internet. These applications will be the ones responsible for any exponential advances in your business.
In the clouds, but with our feet on the ground
The emergence of Cloud Computing is changing the way people and companies work. Cloud computing enables companies and individuals to use and share information via applications based on external services provided over the Internet.
Although it is not yet widely spread in Spain, there is no doubt that Cloud Computing offers a variety of new communication opportunities by enabling users to access, modify and print via the Internet or Intranet, from anywhere and from any type of mobile device. Moreover, the speed and immediacy of a process in which a worker can provide material, printed information to its customers through any printer close by, are important, value-added features. Applications like Google’s Cloud Print or Apple’s AirPrint are just some of the tools that enable mobile printing.
Different figures point to a tendency in using Cloud Computing. A study by CB Consulting, conducted with more than 400 Spanish companies and released by Ciena, estimates that by 2014, 64% of Spanish companies will use Cloud. This estimate includes both the private and public sectors. To cope with the continuing growth in demand and new technological services, operators will need to have high capacity networks that are secure, flexible and resilient.
In conclusion, and returning to the main subject, companies, quickly followed by consumers, will turn to business operators and companies that can give them their so yearned-for freedom in managing their information and, in particular, online printing.
Sources:
- www.idc.com
- www.gartner.com
- www.cb-consulting.es
- www.ciena.com
Julio A. Olivares
DocPath CEO