There’s an interesting movement in the IT industry at the moment called BYOD – Bring Your Own Device. In a nutshell, it’s where companies allow employees to bring their own personal devices to work instead of using the employer’s equipment. The concept is that the employee gets to choose what technology they work with, what they like best and what they are most comfortable with.

While it might work in some large organisations, I think the reality is that for most companies, it’s a complete nonsense as it’s totally unsupportable. There’s also a motion going through the courts in California where the employer might have to reimburse the employee for the use of their personal equipment.

However!

There is one place where it might just work and we’re starting to see some background mutterings on the subject – AIRCRAFT!

The airlines are starting to take notice of the number of passengers who turn up for a flight carrying one (or often more) gadgets. Most of them fall into the category of phone, tablet or laptop – all of which are capable of playing movies and games. Some airlines are starting to trial the removal of the seatback video screen. Why bother with all that expense, weight, maintenance costs, upgrade costs and support if their customers are willing to BYOD anyway?

Now that WIFI seems to be legal in the air (and won’t crash the aircraft) it’s probably feasible for the airlines to have their own on-board streaming service that you, the passenger, just hooks your playback device up to.

Those not carrying their own devices may find that the airline will make a small number available to rent. Or perhaps the default will be a fixed set of movies that play from a shared ceiling mounted or bulkhead screen (for those of you old enough to remember that technology).

Interesting article here.