very encouraging to see someone who understands what’s really going on in this space.

very encouraging to see someone who understands what’s really going on in this space.

As for Good Technology, I consider them to be more of a niche player right now in this market. I just don’t see this company as having nearly the same market heft or resources as Microsoft.

As for Apple, you are correct in that Apple’s unwillingness to license their operating system to outside hardware vendors crippled their efforts and allowed Microsoft to assume dominance. When I mention Microsoft taking over the enterprise segment early in the game, I am referring to one of the outcomes of that decision.

However, I believe that RIM has a very effective safety valve to prevent this type of lockout in the market, and that is their Blackberry Connect solution. I will discuss BB Connect and its implications in a future post.

As an aside, I will say that Apple’s end-to-end model has made something of a comeback, and some think that in this “post-PC” era that this is the winning model. Quoting Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal:
“I think the end-to-end model can prevail this time, both for Apple and other companies. Consumers want choice and low prices. But they also crave the kind of simplicity and integration that the end-to-end model delivers best.” Mossberg’s article is a good introduction to this hypothesis…you can read it here.

As for Good Technology, I consider them to be more of a niche player right now in this market. I just don’t see this company as having nearly the same market heft or resources as Microsoft.

As for Apple, you are correct in that Apple’s unwillingness to license their operating system to outside hardware vendors crippled their efforts and allowed Microsoft to assume dominance. When I mention Microsoft taking over the enterprise segment early in the game, I am referring to one of the outcomes of that decision.

However, I believe that RIM has a very effective safety valve to prevent this type of lockout in the market, and that is their Blackberry Connect solution. I will discuss BB Connect and its implications in a future post.

As an aside, I will say that Apple’s end-to-end model has made something of a comeback, and some think that in this “post-PC” era that this is the winning model. Quoting Walt Mossberg in the Wall Street Journal:
“I think the end-to-end model can prevail this time, both for Apple and other companies. Consumers want choice and low prices. But they also crave the kind of simplicity and integration that the end-to-end model delivers best.” Mossberg’s article is a good introduction to this hypothesis…you can read it here.

please be sure to share whatever you’ve been snorting with the rest of the class. seriously, it must be ‘good’ stuff

please be sure to share whatever you’ve been snorting with the rest of the class. seriously, it must be ‘good’ stuff

please be sure to share whatever you’ve been snorting with the rest of the class. seriously, it must be ‘good’ stuff

please be sure to share whatever you’ve been snorting with the rest of the class. seriously, it must be ‘good’ stuff

The comparision to Apple, however, is dead on. The comparison should be to Apple’s PC marketshare, which at one time was over 80%. Closed, proprietary systems killed that market share. See the correlation? There has never been a long-term success story from a company that did the hardware, software and operating system. Wang? Gone. IBM’s MicroChannel Architecture? Gone. Create the space, dominate that space until viable competition comes to bear, lose that dominance. It is already starting to show with RIM with the recent report of their loss of market share. The hardware vendors are definitely the competition to RIM with over 70% of RIM’s revenue coming from hardware. Margins are eroding as the big boys (Motorola, Noka and the like) bring devices to market that support applications, i.e. Good, that provide the exact same fucntionality as Blackberry on a much more diverse, powerful and functional device.

The comparision to Apple, however, is dead on. The comparison should be to Apple’s PC marketshare, which at one time was over 80%. Closed, proprietary systems killed that market share. See the correlation? There has never been a long-term success story from a company that did the hardware, software and operating system. Wang? Gone. IBM’s MicroChannel Architecture? Gone. Create the space, dominate that space until viable competition comes to bear, lose that dominance. It is already starting to show with RIM with the recent report of their loss of market share. The hardware vendors are definitely the competition to RIM with over 70% of RIM’s revenue coming from hardware. Margins are eroding as the big boys (Motorola, Noka and the like) bring devices to market that support applications, i.e. Good, that provide the exact same fucntionality as Blackberry on a much more diverse, powerful and functional device.