Despite the warm welcome extended to the iPad 2 – sleeker and faster and more multi-featured than its predecessor – by the business and enterprise crowd, the new version poses new challenges for IT departments that larger service firms will likely need to overcome.

Adoption rates for enterprise tablets and smartphones are rising so fast that they’re “forcing their will” on businesses, with internal IT teams not well equipped or motivated to support them. That’s the view of  Dave Codack, vice president of employee technology at TD Bank Financial Group, in ComputerWorld.  Codack even called the tablet’s migration to the enterprise a form of “tyranny” because “the enterprise is not dictating technology with these devices; the revolt is coming from the end-user community.”

Sound like sour grapes from a reluctant IT veteran?  Yes and no. As the piece points out, “Codack is not a Luddite, not even close, and says his IT staffers ‘seem to be excited’ about the new dual-camera feature, dual processor, improved graphics and lighter weight of the iPad 2.” He adds: “I believe this translates into additional perceived benefit for end users.” (Not exactly a ringing endorsement.)

The SmartVan previously reported on the pros and cons of integrating consumer technology into the daily routines of an increasingly mobile workforce, but the introduction of the iPad 2 is sure to put IT departments to the test. And even though Apple will launch JointVenture, a new support service aimed at providing lightweight technology consulting services to small businesses, Apple’s focus on the consumer will continue to prevail and the company “has no intention of becoming a Dell, an HP or Lenovo as far as enterprise support,” Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney predicts in the ComputerWorld article.

So what does this means for field service? Field service SMBs might not have as much of a problem integrating the new technology into their daily operations but larger firms interested in capitalizing on iPad 2 should prepare themselves for the technical difficulties associated with supporting and securing the new tablet, with not much backup from Apple.

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ABOUT Sara Suddes

San Francisco-based contributor Sara Suddes writes frequently about small business, the economy and technology.