It’s been a rocky time for channel partners. They have to navigate a turbulent virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) sector. Meanwhile, they must provide their customers with attractive alternatives in endpoint computing investments. They also must revisit hardware and software solutions with an eye toward retaining customers and protecting recurring revenue.
In the midmarket, endpoint hardware and software buying decisions are under review. Customers are dissatisfied with provider changes in the industry that have them locked in to licensing agreements as costs escalate.
To win in this market, MSPs need to offer more flexible options. This responds to a customer base that is revisiting spending with an eye toward better deals.
In 2026, IT buyers will be more critical in purchasing decisions. Plus, they will likely consider new ways of delivering workloads in the cloud-centric, AI environment.
Customers Have the Upper Hand
The budget tug-of-war has escalated as midmarket IT decision makers must parse out spending between AI, endpoint refresh, and other competing initiatives.
One area in which they have more leverage is the VDI market, which has spawned new brands and given customers more purchasing and licensing options. Long-term agreements are losing ground to more flexible options like digital work platform Omnissa, which enables customers to subscribe for as brief as one year.
Channel partners who offer more flexible licensing and subscription agreements have a better chance of retaining customers and gaining new business.
Hardware Gets a New Look
A thin client workstation offers a sleek office setup.
IT customers will spend an estimated $836 billion across all devices in 2026, per Gartner forecasts. AI needs, VDI expansion, and the continued remote workforce are key drivers. With budget concerns in mind, customers are seeking alternatives to expensive legacy PCs. Options include thin clients and zero clients.
- Thin Clients: Lightweight computers that rely on a server or cloud environment to do most of the processing
- Zero Clients: Even more stripped‑down devices designed specifically to connect to a VDI environment with no local OS
The latest generation of thin clients are light on IT staff time and more budget-friendly than PCs. They exhibit a smaller footprint and support sustainability via less power consumption.
Thin clients also provide several security benefits. They do not locally store files. Instead, they serve as the secure connection between a central server and the endpoint, thereby reducing the attack surface. A modern, thin client OS is also fully integrated with a secure web browser, enabling the remote workforce to access web-based applications without fear of introducing malware.
Meanwhile, zero clients are a mainstay in market sectors that process highly sensitive data. They do not house a local OS or storage, thereby providing a minimal attack surface. All of these benefits are fueling steady growth, from an estimated $1.3 billion in 2025 to $1.6 billion by 2032, IntelMarket Research reported.
SaaS Luster Shines Bright
Despite numerous reports of application redundancy and budget waste, software — notably SaaS — is on an upward trajectory. AI is fueling new SaaS applications at a rapid pace.
As a result, the global SaaS market is slated to grow from $375.6 billion in 2026 to nearly $1.5 trillion by 2034, according to Fortune Business Insights. Hardware that supports SaaS applications will be a critical buying decision as IT teams develop strategies to securely deliver a growing portfolio of SaaS applications.
Stuart Pladgeman
Thin clients are a strong option since they are natively designed to support applications that run on remote servers. They facilitate application access, a plus for a remote workforce, and provide improved security since none of the SaaS apps are stored locally. By supporting SaaS apps, thin clients enable IT teams to use existing hardware, avoiding expensive PC purchases.
VDI, DaaS or Web: A Trifecta of Choices
In changing up their endpoint game, customers are going beyond re-examining VDI options. They’re also looking at adding desktop as a service (DaaS) and more web application access to their computing mix.
Microsoft AVD and Amazon Workspaces are examples of providers offering hybrid model integration. In doing so, they cover the gamut of user profiles. This can range from employees who need to meet strict compliance regulations and have full local control over policies (VDI) to an easily scalable, shared security model (DaaS) to a per-user, SaaS-centric model (web).
Hardware purchasing options to support the hybrid model can range from thin clients to laptops, desktops, and workstations. IT buyers will be looking for the most economical means of delivering apps to task, power, or mobile users. Thin clients will be among the options that can offer lower CAPEX, security, and less management time, and can accommodate a range of users.
Endpoint Evolution
Customers are expecting more flexibility in licensing or pricing, and less IT time spent managing endpoints and the myriad cloud-delivered apps.
When channel partners respond to this new mindset, it positions them for success. The legacy approach won’t get the win.
Stuart Pladgeman is vice president of sales at 10ZiG Technology. He has played a key role for 20 years in the company’s growth and global presence in thin and zero client endpoint computing. Since joining 10ZiG in 2005, Pladgeman has led sales strategy, strengthened channel relationships, and worked closely with partners across the EU and North America.
Images: DeepArt — stock.adobe.com, DALL-E
