Business mobile app use up by 200 percent
A switch to remote working has resulted in a 200 percent surge in the use of business-related mobile applications and a 25 percent boost in mobile device screen time compared to the previous year.
A new report from reimbursement solution Motus also shows many professionals resorted to using mobile hot spots to offset the strains that reduced home internet speeds, which contributed to a near 20 percent spike in mobile data traffic.
"Mobile device use is at an all-time high, and much of that can be attributed to business professionals adjusting to the disruption caused by COVID-19," says Ken Robinson, market research manager at Motus. "The ability for businesses and their employees to leverage wireless solutions during the pandemic allowed them to remain agile and adapt to unforeseen challenges. While these were initially considered temporary fixes, our research points to this shift being more permanent."
Many companies have adopted BYOD policies which, the report finds, increased productivity by 34 percent when workers were able to use their personal assets for business purposes -- partly due to device familiarity. This uptick in productivity is seen across various industries, as 67 percent of corporate employees utilized a personal device for work in 2020.
The report also shows that the average company-provided device is upgraded every 30 months. However, the legacy devices aren’t always shipped back to the employer. According to the report, the residual value of a phone at upgrade age is $207. Motus estimates the residual value of corporate-owned devices in 2020 came to more than $4 billion.
"Cost control is at the top of every IT department's priority list in this economy. Our research indicates that many organizations are finding ways to enhance their device programs by leveraging BYOD," adds Robinson. "Implementing customized BYOD reimbursement calculations enables companies to optimize their wireless expense, easily scale up or down when necessary, and build momentum towards recovery."
You can get the full report on the Motus site.
Image credit: ViChizh/ Shutterstock