Move to Apple for enterprise or business computing?

Our IT department is looking at increasing our investments in open source solutions like Linux, because they want more control. We are performance a financial analysis of this initiative. Someone on the team proposed looking at Apple (Macs) as an alternative. Of course, everyone scoffed at the idea. The real choice seems to be between Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Linux.

It is clear, however, that no one in our organization has looked at the data. Does anyone have experience with a migration to Apple for enterprise or business software / computing. At a minimum, I would like to know of any trends for Apple in the enterprise or business computing segment.

There are a couple of ways to look at this question.

1. How much are Apple products (Macs, iPads, iPhones) used in businesses by the enterprise?

Adoption is certainly growing. However, growth is coming from the bring your own device movement. BYOD means to bring your own device. This trend in corporate information technology allows employees to bring whatever technology they use in their personal lives to work. The corporate IT department focuses on securing work data and communication on these devices. In this case growth of Apple devices in the consumer market is putting pressure on corporate IT departments to support Apple products.

Corporate IT use of Apple software and hardware.

Mobile devices like iPads gain traction in enterprise market.

60% of businesses support more than 100 devices

2. What is the future for Apple products and technology in business and enterprise software or hardware?

In this case, the biggest news is the Apple / IBM partnership. This announcement in 2014 seemed strange to a lot of commentators. It is still unclear how much it will matter to either company, but I might send a strong signal to businesses that Apple is ready for the enterprise.

Here are the product and partnership pages for both companies:

Apple's enterprise apps in partnership with IBM.

IBM makes a mobile push with Apple

Many are still skeptical or curious. Here is some independent commentary:

Apple and IBM make an odd couple.

The answer to your question starts with a question: what is your objective with the original move. That will help define whether you should look at Apple or (Apple/IBM) as an alternative.

Well this is big news in the subject: Apple announce enterprise sales 2015