The Growth of Macs in the Enterprise Is Challenging the PC’s Dominance

By Jeremy Zoss, Managing Editor, Code42

The PC has long been the default choice for business computers, but perhaps not for much longer. The growth of Macs in the enterprise has been exponential in recent years, as illustrated by the infographic below.

For context on why Macs are growing in popularity in the workplace, look at some of the big-name companies embracing the platform. Once a sworn enemy of Macintosh, IBM has become a high-profile proponent of Macs for its own workforce. Cisco allows its employees to choose between iOS and Windows devices, and now has 35,000 Macs in use. At SAP, the company believes that “offering Mac is key for any modern enterprise.”

Mac usage lowers IT costs

Simpler IT support for Macs and a high level of user self-service drive the bulk of this cost savings. IBM reports that just 3.5 percent of its Mac users currently call the help desk, compared to 25 percent of its PC users. Media company Buzzfeed maintains only a small IT staff for its thousands of employees–only 30-35 employees use Windows machines, while the rest operate on Macs.

User preference—not business value—still drives most Mac adoption

IT cost savings aren’t the only thing driving Mac adoption among big names in business tech. Security and productivity are also driving Mac adoption. Deloitte says iOS is “the most secure platform for business” and states that “Apple’s products are essential to the modern workforce.” Cisco stated it believes Apple devices accelerate productivity. Basic user satisfaction is another important factor. IBM reports a 91 percent satisfaction rate among Mac users and says its pro-Mac policies help the company attract and retain top talent.

While IBM and others put total cost of ownership, security and productivity as top reasons for Mac adoption, a survey conducted by Code42 shows user preference continues to be the main reason that enterprises are embracing Macs today.

Top reasons for Mac adoption

1. Happier end users (37%)

2. Fewer help desk tickets (14%)

3. Better OS security (12%)

Top IT challenges are Macs’ top strengths

Macs also offer advantages in areas that are typically sources of major challenges for IT. According to our survey, the most time-consuming tasks for IT are tech refresh and help desk tickets, followed by malware and ransomware. These are actually areas where Macs excel. Macs traditionally enable a much higher level of self-service, and Code42 enables user-driven tech refresh for Mac users (and PC users, too). This level of self-service produces the kind of IT cost savings IBM has seen with its dramatically reduced help desk tickets.