The Shift to Mobility Will Impact the Future of Print

(Weymouth, MA) April 27, 2011… A recent InfoTrends study entitled Mobile Knowledge Workers: Emerging Opportunities shows that mobile workers now comprise more than 70% of the total U.S. office workforce. This new breed of office worker is leveraging multiple technologies in and out of the office to conduct business, which is leading to significant changes in traditional business processes and paper-based office workflows. The document imaging industry needs to appreciate the significance of these changes and react appropriately.
A growing set of mobile technologies place significant threats on the long-term viability of paper as a medium. InfoTrends study shows that a high percentage of business users still prefer to read paper documents. Nevertheless, most mobile workers are reporting a lack of desire or capability to print from their mobile devices. With mobile devices improving rapidly and becoming more prevalent, it stands to reason that there will simply be fewer reasons to print in the future.
“The document imaging industry needs to move quickly to ensure that current habits do not rule out future opportunities for mobile printing,” commented Jon Reardon, Group Director of InfoTrends Office Technology & Services Group. “Hard copy vendors need to embrace the ongoing shift to mobility rather than fight it, and begin to introduce solutions that not only make it easier to print from mobile devices, but also provide reasons to print from mobile devices. In other words, the focus should be on convenience and value.”
Market disruption takes time and, despite the ongoing penetration of new technologies, InfoTrends is forecasting that cut-sheet paper consumption in the U.S. will basically remain flat. What hard copy vendors need to consider is that shifts are still occurring with pages moving from offset to digital production, offset to office production, single-function to multifunction, and monochrome to color. One can now assume that a shift is underway to see some pages move from stationary PCs to mobile devices.
Reardon continued, “Vendors need to ensure that they are positioned to take advantage of these shifts, while at the same time preparing for a future office that will no doubt look very different from the one we have operated in for the last 30 years.”
InfoTrends’ Mobile Knowledge Workers: Emerging Opportunities study addresses several key elements related to opportunities and strategies in targeting mobile knowledge workers, including mobile printing solutions. The study provides information technology vendors and infrastructure service providers with insights to support their strategic planning, product development, and go-to-market activities related to mobile knowledge workers. The study examines a mix of developed and emerging markets including the United States, Germany, Japan, India and Brazil.
The results of the study are now available for purchase. Studies can be purchased for individual regions or as a complete series. For pricing and purchase information click here or contact Scott Phinney at +1 781 616 2100 ext. 123 or e-mail scott_phinney@infotrends.com.