3 years. That’s how frequently consumer devices should be upgraded, business devices on the other hand have a different lifecycle period. We'll explain why you need to upgrade work mobile devices.
An app-driven world
Short answer, apps drive the need to upgrade mobile devices.
Apps and mobile devices have transformed frontline work into mobile, growing to 93m mobile workers in 20241. More than half of the nation’s labor force. To continue to empower the workplace, apps need to be up-to-date. Keeping apps updated also requires updated devices due to:
apps are getting larger
apps are continually adding capabilities
apps are getting hungrier for more memory and processing power
cache bloat
devices getting slower as they age
But an app is only as good as the operating system it runs on.
Operating system
OS updates are often overlooked when choosing devices for work. A cheap device or featured-packed device is only as good as its OS. If it’s unable to run apps due to the app no longer supporting the OS, it’s as good as a shiny brick. Having a current-gen device means having an updated OS. OS updates are critical for:
Monthly security updates
Compatibility updates
Ongoing manufacturer support
Fully functioning apps
CISOs (Chief Information Security Officers) across the country found that 9 in 10 organizations are at risk of cyberattack2, the need to update our devices is critical to keep work secure.
Why won't companies just continue to keep their devices updated?
Gone are the days when you could keep a phone for 5 to almost 10 years if you took great care of it. There are several challenges to this in our modern device lifecycle, the cost of rolling out updates to aging devices, security, continually improving hardware, apps that demand more powerful devices to run, and recently AI.
The growing demand for apps to “do more” means devices need to keep up with current-gen and next-gen apps, devices simply must:
Get faster
Have a more efficient processor
Not overheat on small loads
Be able to run apps concurrently
Be power efficient
We recommend deploying business-grade tablets and smartphones to get the most out of your devices and not worry about device updates for several years. This only applies to non-iOS devices.
Here’s a quick guide on the difference between value consumer devices, flagship consumer devices, and business-grade non-iOS devices. Note, that this is not a comprehensive list, each device manufacturer will have different specifications per device.
Value
Flagship
Business
OS updates
2
3+
4+
Rugged
No
No
Yes
Support
3 years
5 years
8 years
Bloatware
Yes
Yes
No
One caveat, OS updates don’t mean the device is still under warranty. Looking to extend the warranty of your devices? Talk to us.
Cost of not having a fully functioning device
The old adage of “time is money” couldn’t be more true in the workplace. While stats may vary from 11 to 24 days in a year of time lost due to slow devices, it’s still a massive hit on productivity. That’s a loss of $2,699 - $5,888 per employee per year on top of the overtime pay just to catch up with work due to slow tech. This can be a massive burden for small to medium-sized businesses.
The real cost of slow devices or a broken one is downtime. While this is a difficult metric to measure, we can at least list down the downstream effects for our customers.
For fleets due to the ELD mandate, that’s drivers off the road
For fulfillment teams, that’s missed or delayed orders
For factory floor teams, that’s production, quality errors
For field techs, that’s longer work hours
For retail, that’s irate customers
Not that we’re trying to be overly dramatic here, but reducing risk in critical sectors of the business is what we all strive for.
Devices are too old to receive updates
Just upgrade, we offer wholesale pricing on devices. Call us today.
Physical damage
With over 600 damaged devices3 this year alone, physically damaged devices can add to operational roadblocks. Depending on the damage to the device, you may consider upgrading in these scenarios.
Environmental damage
We have really hot summers here in Arizona, consumer devices simply cannot handle constant heat, especially outdoors. This excess heat alone can cause the battery to swell in your devices.
Your device is damaged and no longer supported
We get it costs are high and budgets are tight. As we outlined previously, while initial costs may be painful, the long-term cost benefits, team satisfaction, and productivity gains can offset that cost.
Parts are no longer available to repair the device
Sometimes, it’s more cost-effective to just get the latest and greatest, than continually repairing that old Tab E8 from 2016. The costs for parts and labor add up to costing more than the device itself.
Does it cost more to repair than simply getting a new one?
We’ll just let you ponder this question instead.
If you have a damaged current-gen or next-gen device and aren’t looking to upgrade, we can help extend your device life with our e2 Shield program. Get device protection today.
Why you need a newer device
The proliferation of AI in the workplace. AI is all the rage, while most consumers view it as a passing novelty, business applications for AI have far greater use cases. Resulting in greater demand for power consumption, and more efficient processing power.
We’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill chatgpt app, we’re looking at real-time IT/OT, IoT, connected worker, safety, on-demand manufacturing and so much more. But before I get carried away, let’s shrink it back to the devices.
Devices can do more than just compliance. Our customers have used them for:
Training
Indoor/outdoor tracking
HMI/PLC/IoT monitoring and control
Command center
Inspections
Safety and lone worker
Product process
Vehicle safety
Factory automation
And so much more!
As a myriad of additional AI-driven tools and apps continue to grow, no B2B super apps yet, there’s a growing need for devices to do more than just checklists.
Enterprise firmware over the air
Or e-FOTA is commonly used across our fleet customers. Samsung’s e-FOTA or SOTI’s mobicontrol works best with the latest devices. When conducting OS/software/firmware updates remotely, there are 5 things to keep in mind:
The most critical is speed of the device
OS to device compatibility
Device storage capacity
Network connectivity speed
Battery and power
For iOS users it’s the default Apple Business Manager or Jamf. With built-in over the air remote updates, devices are ready to accept updates remotely anytime, anywhere. Unsure how? Get a free consultation.
How eSquared helps with device upgrades
We work with the top OEM device manufacturers, your software vendor, mounts, and connectivity partners to deploy custom mobile solutions that work for your business. At prices that work within your team’s budget. Get a free consultation today.
