Popularity of iPad: Now the Police are Falling in Love with Apple Devices

Popularity of iPad: Recently, we have talked quite a bit about employers turning to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices as a means of improving technology or satisfying employees. First, it was Home Depot opting to get rid of BlackBerry smartphones and bring the iPhone on board. And then, it was LinkedIn purchasing 3,500 iPad minis for employees.

Now, it appears that the New Zealand police department is ready to get in on the action. In an effort to bring new technology to the force, the department has decided to implement 10,000 iOS devices to officers over the next few months.

The decision to go with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices was not an easy one. It was also one that was not made on a whim. Instead, the police department tested many devices to ensure that the iPhones and iPads were the right choice.

According to the National Business Review, the final decision came down between Apple and Android. In the end, as the article notes, it was the Apple devices that won out. Here is what NZ Police chief information officer Stephen Crombie had to say:

“The trial showed the most useful tools for officers were small personal devices (such as a smartphone) for making phone calls or text messaging, accessing email, and accessing information and photo databases, and a larger such as a laptop or tablet for staff who need to do more data entry.”

“Based on frontline officer feedback from the trial (over 100 staff in four districts trialled smartphones, laptops and tablets over an 11-month period) the preferred devices are the iPhone as smartphone and iPad for the tablet. The approach used to develop the applications means Police can move to other devices with relative ease as technology changes.”

As you can see, more than 100 individuals tested multiple devices to ensure that the right decision was made. While no statistics were given in terms of how many officers selected iOS devices over Android, it is safe to say that it was the majority.

Now that the New Zealand police department has taken the lead, it will be interesting to see if others throughout the world fall in line.

Do you believe that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) devices have a place in the law enforcement field?

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DISCLOSURE: I have no positions in any stock mentioned.

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