SME cloud adoption set to explode

A study has found that nearly one in three small and medium enterprises (SMEs) plan to use cloud computing in the next year, more than for any other emerging technology, reports Computing.co.uk.

CompTIA, an IT industry non-profit trade association, surveyed 400 IT and business professionals in UK SMEs about their views on emerging technologies.

Mobile solutions (27%) and social media (26%) followed cloud computing as the technologies with the highest numbers of SMEs planning adoption, says Inspiresme.co.uk.

Just 18% of the SMEs said they were currently making use of cloud computing services, with 93% satisfied with the results they have achieved.

Part of the move to the cloud will be driven by the uptake of tablets, which benefit from the remote access that cloud provides. Thirty-seven percent of SMEs already have tablets and another 37% plan on purchasing them, meaning they will be a prevalent business tool within the year, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Most current usage is simply taking advantage of their convenient nature, with the majority planning to use tablets for work while travelling, presentations and note taking.

However, a significant proportion are looking at using them for specific business purposes, such as demonstrating a product (34%) or point of sale transactions (32%).