Apple's iPad penetrating major corporations

Not surprisingly, Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad is quickly finding a home in the corporate world with companies such as Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), Tellabs, SAP and Mercedes-Benz buying up iPads for use in their corporations.

Wells Fargo initially purchased 15 iPads and now has more on order. Amy Johnson, Wells Fargo's vice president for online portal and mobile strategy, said her long-term goal involves account representatives and finance executives to use iPads and other tablet devices to authorize wire transfers valued at millions of dollars. She noted that finance executives at other large corporations already access Wells Fargo accounts via iPads.

Smaller companies are also embracing the iPad. Arhaus Furniture said it will save about $100,000 a year in paper by giving 50 iPads to delivery drivers.

Still, there are some limitations of the iPad's functionality in the enterprise, such as direct printing mass installation of apps and updates and the ability to retrieve files from a local server.

In related news, a new report from Barclays Capital concluded that 15 million tablet computers will be purchased by consumers this year, and that number is expected to grow to 28 million next year. This figure will come at the expense of PC and netbook sales, however.

For more:
- see this MacNN article
- read this BusinessWeek article

Related Articles:
Tablets in for amazing adoption curve in the enterprise
Cisco unveils business tablet, touts as replacement for desktop
Might business be the real target for an Apple Tablet?
Verizon, Google to introduce Android tablet
Is HP's play for Palm about tablets?
Report: Apple iPad killing netbook sales
Google Android tablet imminent
Getting an iPad? Here are some tablet alternatives to consider
Why CIOs might consider the iPad
What can the iPad do for the enterprise?