iPad 2: A boon for business?

Although Cripps said he was unsure whether FaceTime had really taken hold in the enterprise, some believe its addition to the iPad will help spread the device across further businesses.

Greg Taylor, design director at personal media company TigerSpike, said FaceTime will be able to match up with some of the iPad 2's other impressive features to offer further benefits to businesses.

"Bringing FaceTime to the iPad further extends Apple's enterprise platform reach," Taylor said.

"This coupled with the HD mirroring capability, and an overall increase in specs, will accelerate the device's cut-through in the tablet market. The iPad 2 provides many exciting opportunities for businesses to cut operational costs and increase employee productivity - all through one slick and highly portable device."

He claimed businesses can take the qualities of the iPad 2, such as its faster processor and enhanced graphics, and combine them with the soon-to-be-released iOS 4.3 to create some truly impressive applications that could bring innovation in how businesses operate.

In particular, brands and publishers could really start to push the boundaries, according to Taylor.

"The advancements of the iPad 2's overall capabilities further extend the ability for brands and publishers alike to create highly indulgent and immersive user experiences," he added.

"The addition of the front and back-facing cameras open up opportunities for highly interactive features such as air gestures' where the user can interact with the device without touch, and applications will now be able to map users' movements to create an entirely new level of interaction and personalisation."

Then, of course, there are the browsing improvements in Safari: so you can expect to see some serious HTML5 to make its way to the iPad 2. For any businesses relying on HTML5 content, this could really make the Apple device more of a necessity than a supplementary piece of kit.

Moving on

So could the iPad 2 turn out to be a game changer? We may have to wait to see what developers come up with to turn the device into something truly special for business.

For that reason, it may be wise for companies to hold fire for now, at least until they feel certain apps have turned the iPad 2 into a worthwhile investment for employees.

But despite the somewhat mixed reception the iPad 2 has received, it's fairly clear Apple will gain some extra supporters with its new baby.

At least that is what Mark McDonald, group vice president and head of research in Gartner Executive Programs, has suggested.

"I remember seeing this with the iPhone 4 which attracted a whole bunch of new people who wanted to look and be tech savvy,'" McDonald said in a blog.

"These tech newbies would aggressively show you their iPhone 4 functions and expound on its features and functions The same will happen with the iPad 2, as people who had been fence sitters become the next people to discover' the iPad." And devices such as the original iPhone have shown how consumer preference ares influencing business purchasing.

The iPad has already made an impact on the business world and, regardless of whether it will change things forever, more companies will catch on following this week's announcements.