Tag Archives: business

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Featured Article : Macs in Business

With Macs getting a huge boost in popularity over the pandemic and a new report showing Mac shipments growing almost twice as fast as the PC market as a whole in 2021, we look at why more businesses are embracing Macs, and also what challenges Macs can bring.

The Pandemic And Digital Transformation 

Digital transformation in many businesses was dramatically accelerated by the need to work remotely, which has now become hybrid working. With this came a surge of device-buying. It appeared to be the case that Apple products became more popular than ever with business and individuals. For example, Apple finished 2020 with its most profitable quarter ever, and Apple’s sales of laptops and phones rose to a record-breaking £65bn in the first quarter of 2021 (revenue up 54 per cent on the same period of 2020). Although this was driven partly by the effects of having to stay at and work from home, plus a surge in demand in China, IDC reported that Macs reached 23 per cent share in US enterprises, showing that businesses are now more likely to be choosing Macs.

Other Drivers 

That said, it should be noted that some of the other drivers for the growth in Mac sales last year included the launch of the Apple iPhone 12, the publicity about and the launch of the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models (October 2021), and surge in demand in China at the end of 2021.

Old Perceptions and Growth 

The business computer market has always been (and still is) dominated by PCs (almost half are PCs). Operating system figures confirm the gulf between PCs and macs with OS shares for desktop and laptop computers, showing Windows as the most used at 75 per cent, followed by Apple’s macOS at 15 per cent. In the smartphone world, Android leads with 72 per cent market share, and Apple’s iOS has 28 per cent.

Older perceptions of the computer market depict Apple Macs as being more suited to (and more the domain of) those in the artistic and creative world, e.g. creative professionals, graphic designers, app developers, web developers, video editors, and audio engineers. This may be because of the more intuitive OS of macs, the aesthetic appeal of the hardware, and Apple’s marketing.

Strengths For Businesses 

Macs offer a number of strengths to businesses (compared to PCs). These include:

– Assisting with improved productivity and job satisfaction. For example, a Forrester report (2021) showed that employees using Macs were 20 per cent more likely to stay with their companies.

– Macs are generally thought to offer a more positive user experience than PCs due to their intuitive OS, and perhaps an enhanced feeling of security and the feeling that Macs are more of a luxury/high-end tool (feeling more valued by the company by being given Macs to use).

– Despite having a reputation for being much more expensive, Macs have a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) when taking into account factors like increased productivity, fewer support calls, and greater job satisfaction.

– The build quality of Macs is high, and they are reliable and durable. This can save repair and business disruption costs.

– Macs are seamlessly compatible with other Apple devices used by employees, e.g. Apple phones. This can help with productivity and minimise disruptions and problems.

– Macs tend to be more secure than PCs because the macOS is based on Unix, which is challenging to exploit, given Apple has full control over the hardware and software. This means that Apple can very quickly implement new security features and patches. Better security is especially important to businesses today and can help with compliance and protect against costly and potentially disastrous breaches.

Challenges 

Macs, however, also have challenges that businesses need to consider. These include:

– A degree of uncertainty about when security updates will be released, thereby making it more difficult to plan. Also, responsibility for when security updates are installed is in the hands of the user (rather than the admin) and while this sounds convenient, workers can forget or put off updates. This could have an impact on security and productivity. Also, unsaved work could be destroyed by an update, thereby wasting resources.

– Uncertainty about how long updates for different version of the OS will be produced, and uncertainty about what will be supported (apps and services) by older versions.

– The added costs and complexity of businesses having to manage Macs and PCs together.

– The incompatibility of proprietary business software with MacOS.

– Complexity with licenses – a Windows license application might not apply to the Mac version.

– The added cost of needing an Apple technician to repair or upgrade a Mac.

– Fewer hardware configuration options compared to PCs.

– Many apps and tools for Macs (antivirus) may not be as robust as their PC counterparts, though of course this could be mooted either way.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

More Macs in business may bring benefits such as security (arguably) and a better user experience but it can mean that IT admins will have a different workload. It also means the need to re-evaluate traditional IT operations and figure out ways to accommodate new devices (no more ‘one size-fits all’), re-consider usability, productivity and device management strategies, and find ways to effectively plan for and deal with the potential weaknesses of Macs, e.g. making sure updates happen and patches are installed by users.  Some admins find that reducing the versions of MacOS that are in place can be one way of making support easier and reducing potential security risks. That said, although having Macs and PCs together can increase IT management complexity, the Mac benefits of security, productivity, lower TCO, and happier users (who stay with the company) do appear to be valued by more and more businesses.

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What SMEs can learn from high-profile cyber-attacks

Just under half of all cyber-attacks are aimed at small to medium-sized businesses but, the risk isn’t limited to just those organisations. It is a risk that everyone faces, even national and international brands.

This week, budget airline company, EasyJet, fell victim to a cyber-attack. Around nine million people’s travel information and contact details were hacked in the breach along with 2,208 customers’ credit card details.

In a statement, EasyJet clarified to its customers that “issues of security are taken extremely seriously” and customers who have had their credit card details accessed are being contacted.

The news of the cyber-attack came just days after UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab highlighted the rise in cyber hackers looking to exploit vulnerabilities and steal valuable information during the coronavirus pandemic.

EasyJet is not the only high-profile organisation to fall victim to such highly sophisticated cyber-attacks. The likes of the NHS, British Airways and cleaning company ISS World have all been at the centre of huge hacks or data breaches. 

What is a cyber-attack?

As defined by the National Cyber Security Centre, cyber-attacks are “malicious attempts to damage, disrupt or gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks or devices, via cyber means”.

Cyber-attacks can come in many guises. Being aware and taking preventive steps against them are the best ways to protect business from an attack.

What are the different types of cyber-attack?

There are two different categories of cyber-attack; targeted and untargeted. Each category contains different ways that hackers can target an individual or organisation.

Untargeted attacks are not specifically aimed at any one type of person or organisation. They seek out multiple revenues for exploitation. These include:

Phishing – whereby emails are sent out to a large number of people asking for personal data or containing fake links which often contain harmful material

Water holing – compromising a legitimate website or creating a fake one for users in order to exploit them and their personal details

Ransomware – a type of malware which criminals use to gain access to and lock users out of files. Files that have been locked will often be used as leverage for ‘ransom’ to have the files returned

Scanning – searching a large area of the internet randomly to find sites to attack

Targeted attacks are aimed at an individual or organisation that has been singled out and often more thoroughly thought out and damaging. These include:

Spear phishing – similar to phishing however the emails are sent to targeted individuals

DDoS extortion – distributed denial of service attacks are attempts to overwhelm a website by supplying it with a large amount of traffic. This typically results in a server crash. Criminals will contact organisations and threaten to subject them to a DDoS

Subverting supply chain – this involves attacks on software or other suppliers that the organisation relies on

How do I protect myself or my organisation from cyber-attacks?

The variety of cyber-attacks and the ways in which hackers operate can be daunting, however you can protect yourself and your organisation. Bigger companies, such as EasyJet, are more at risk from more sophisticated and targeted attacks while SMEs are more likely to fall victim to untargeted attacks. SMEs can protect themselves against these types of attacks by taking preventative measures.

Not all measures to protect yourself from cyber-attacks have to be complex. Simple steps such as having secure passwords and installing security software all go a long way to protecting your computer or devices. Read our blog for six top tips for increasing your computer security.

During COVID-19 we are providing our clients with access to training, including topics such as cyber security, to pass onto their employees. Internal training on matters such as this can reduce the risk of attacks which include a decision made by an employee, for example, opening a scam email or attachment.

In a society where cyber threats are evolving at a rapid pace, the need to keep on top of cyber-security, is vital and even the most experienced computer users can run into issues. If you need advice, feel free to contact us.

News

Microsoft accreditation awarded to SMY IT

A leading IT company in Suffolk has gained a Microsoft Silver Partner accreditation for the fifth year running in November 2018.

SMY IT was shortlisted in this year’s East Anglian Daily Times Business Awards for the small business category. They also and got the accreditation from Microsoft for their expertise in the cloud and also small-midmarket cloud solutions.

This makes them one of only a handful of providers in the UK with both the experience and competence to deliver first-class cloud solutions for businesses.

Every 12 months, all accredited companies have to be re- certified.

These include technical assessments, exams, verified references and real customer feedback.

The silver accreditation is only given to businesses who have “demonstrated expertise in quality solutions in one or more specialised areas of business.”

Managing director of SMY IT Jonathan Smy said: “We’re thrilled to have been awarded this accreditation for the fifth time.

“This shows that we continue to excel in all that we do. We have helped transform many businesses’ way of working through using the cloud.

“Being a Microsoft Silver Partner means we receive emerging products, technologies and features while they’re still in the development cycle.

“This allows us to work with our clients on certain platform upgrades and technology improvements many months before general release. This means they are always one step ahead of the game.

“It’s certainly been a big year for us with being runners up in the EADT Business Awards. We are also having a fresh revamp of the brand ahead of our fifth anniversary.

“We continue to shine and surpass expectations and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

Want to find out how our Microsoft Silver status benefits your business? Take a look at our blog.

Want to know what our other recognitions are?  Take a look at our blog.