Forrester: Apple increases penetration in corporate market potentially worth $19B in 2012

Forrester just published its Global Tech Market Outlook for 2012 and 2013 where the research company argued that Apple —not cloud computing as a whole— will “reshape the computing equipment market.” The study cited the adoption of iPad and Macs among professionals as proof that Apple is “dramatically disrupting” the corporate market traditionally dominated by Microsoft, Dell, Lenovo, and HP. In 2012, estimates showed Apple could potentially sell $9 billion worth of Macs and $10 billion worth of iPads to the corporate market alone.

Analysts have been predicting that cloud computing — specifically, infrastructure-as a service (IaaS) — will reshape the server and storage market… Actual adoption of IaaS remains limited…The biggest disruptive force in the computer equipment market thus is not IaaS, but Apple. This is a surprise, because Apple has not and does not directly address the corporate market, while turning a wide variety of consumer technology markets upside-down. But its rapid growth in the corporate market has been the big surprise of 2011, and it will be even more of a factor in 2012.

By measuring the number of Apple OS-powered devices and supported tablets for 2010 and 2011, Forrester estimated Apple will sell $6 billion worth of Macs and $6 billion worth of iPads to the corporate market in 2011. The research company expects that number to more than double by 2013 to $12 billion worth of Macs and $16 billion worth of iPads.

As part of the report, Forrester outlined some of the areas where Apple is excelling in capturing the corporate market. While reminding us that the research includes iPads in the PC category, Forrester attributes Apple’s penetration into IT departments with orders for tens of thousands of iPads from Fortune 500 companies. The report also noted that professionals are increasingly urging their employers to fund and support Apple products with a growing number of iPads and MacBooks used by company executives. Forrester explained:

It is common practice for small business owners to purchase computers and other equipment that may be used in part for personal purposes and charge it to their business as a business expense… We have noticed at various tech conferences and vendor briefings — as well as within our own organization — a rapidly growing number of MacBooks and iPads being used by VPs and SVPs, and anecdotal reports suggest that this “take an Apple to work” approach is starting to get company funding and support from the IT department.