Posted on October 14, 2009, at 2:10 pm .
Gartner has released a slightly revised version of their outlook for the 2012 mobile operating system. The latest predictions put Symbian as the top OS, followed by Android, with BlackBerry in third and iPhone in fourth.
The interesting part of this research is the positioning of BlackBerry relative to the iPhone. The advantage of BlackBerry is that it will always have enough devices to cover the entire gamut of potential smartphone users. While you may not love every device that RIM ships, there will always be a device for you.
While Gartner believes that Open Source OS markets are the future, we aren’t seeing much proof of this. Developers aren’t making enough money on either platform for the devices to be of much of use. We have said this countless times on BlackBerry Cool, it’s the software that determines the winner and hardware is fast becoming secondary with regards to the competitiveness of a device.
Gartner has placed a large degree in confidence in Nokia after their partnership with Microsoft. The thought is that the partnership will allow Nokia to deliver Office Mobile, as well as full SharePoint integration, allowing Nokia to steal some of RIM’s enterprise market share. Perhaps this may look good to an analyst at Gartner, but it simply won’t happen. Unless Nokia comes out with a product that rivals BES, hosts an equally robust developer community as well as provides the security of a BlackBerry, the partnership is just talk. If SharePoint is the only advantage, you will have to prove that it is significantly better than what Wicksoft can offer.
Overall, the predictions are as follows:
1. Symbian
2. Android
3. BlackBerry
4. iPhone
5. Windows Mobile
While we may not know the final outcome until 2012, rest assured it’s the developers who will decide the final victor. So if you’re a developer looking to make that killer app, don’t let Gartner become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Go to the brand you trust and ultimately, go to the brand that’s making you money. I guarantee you it’s not Symbian, Android or Windows Mobile.
[Via]
Posted on August 26, 2009, at 12:56 pm .
SMS VCard Add-on is a BlackBerry app that enables your BlackBerry to receive, import and send contacts using the same SMS protocol as Nokia.
If you’re not familiar with the feature, with a Nokia device you can bring up a menu that allows you to send someone else’s contact information to a friend via SMS, MMS, Bluetooth and InfraRed. Note that only the Name, Phone and Email fields are sent due to SMS size restrictions.
SMS VCard Add-on is available for $1.99.
Posted on August 13, 2009, at 1:05 pm .
On Wednesday, Microsoft and Nokia announced an alliance to bring enterprise software to smartphones. The move is an explicit targeting of RIM’s core business and dominance in the smartphone market.
The alliance looks good on paper with Microsoft Office representing the vast majority of office software, and Nokia representing the majority of global handsets. Nokia’s VP, Robert Andersson, has already started calling out RIM.
“This is giving some of our competitors — let’s spell it out, RIM — a run for their money,” said Nokia executive vice-president Robert Andersson, in a telephone interview. “I don’t think BlackBerry has seen the kind of competition we can provide them now.”
The alliance will make Microsoft Office readily available on Nokia devices and provide greater integration of Microsoft products into Nokia devices.
So what does this mean for BlackBerry? Well it isn’t obvious just yet. Microsoft products are already easily viewed on a BlackBerry, and there are a host of options for users creating, editing and sharing Microsoft products from their BlackBerry device. So far, the alliance is boasting that the Nokia E-Series will now be imbued with the following features:
- The ability to view, edit, create and share Office documents on more devices in more places with mobile-optimized versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft OneNote
- Enterprise instant messaging and presence, and optimized conferencing and collaboration experience with Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile
- Mobile access to intranet and extranet portals built on Microsoft SharePoint Server
- Enterprise device management with Microsoft System Center
The number of organizations that use the E-Series device is relatively small in North America and the above features are easily implemented in organizations that use BlackBerry. While there may be some cost savings on the software side for organizations, it isn’t enough incentive for an organization to change their entire device structure.
[Via]
Posted on July 20, 2009, at 12:28 pm .
It seems Nokia is on a downward spiral while the other major smartphone manufacturers are fast gaining market share. Nokia, the leader of global handset distribution, has dropped the most in market share over the the past 5 years.
Despite only selling 3% of the world’s mobile phones, Apple and RIM are dominating when it comes to profitability. Together, the two companies make up for 35% of the total industry’s operating profits. Analysts are saying that if RIM and Apple’s market share were to climb to 5%, it could translate to them owning roughly 58% of the total operating profits.
It just goes to show that we’re entering a new economy of mobile devices, where ubiquity isn’t enough. You have to be constantly innovating and offering not only hardware with new features, but a system of delivering innovative software to the customer. Nokia has the Ovi Store, but I doubt developers are seeing any significant revenue from it.
The software truly makes the hardware these days.
[Via]
Posted on March 11, 2009, at 12:43 pm .
It has always surprised me that RIM only has around 10% of the smartphone market share. Sometimes I think these numbers might be skewed for a few reasons:
1) How does the survey define a smartphone? I bet many of the models described as smartphones are not “smart” in the sense that BlackBerry users are used to.
2) It’s a global market share. I’m really only concerned with North America and Europe.
3) It’s a conspiracy and Bill Gates is at the center of it all.
During Q4 2008, Nokia’s overall market share fell from 50.9 percent to 40.8 percent and smartphone sales dipped a whopping 17 percent to 15.6 million units. During that same period, RIM doubled its market share, perhaps due to a void left by Nokia.
Where can RIM make big market share gains?
Consumer – If RIM keeps pumping out devices that will get the average user interested, they can make some serious market share gains. It’s about time that people put down their RAZR and pick up a device that is not only a status symbol, but a device that will change the way you feel about technology.
Enterprise – Just keep doing what you’re doing guys. A few more updates to BES, as well as a boost from the dev community, should really give RIM a device that every company will be required to use and abuse.
What would you like to see from RIM in the coming years?
[Via]
Posted on February 18, 2009, at 8:51 am .
Recently, major mobile phone manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola and Samsung agreed to produce a standardized charger for the industry. The companies will be switching to mini USB, the same standard charger as the BlackBerry. I know exactly how that meeting went:
“Guys, we need a standard char…McDonnel! Pay attention, we’re having a meeting here.”
“Sorry sir, my BlackBerry died and I’m looking for the charger.”
“Here you go McDonnel. I borrowed this from Frank in HR.”
“Wait a minute…”
[Via]
Posted on January 20, 2009, at 12:55 pm .
Back in July we reported that Nokia was keeping RIM’s lagging BlackBerry Connect service off future Nokia devices. Word had now come from Nokia’s Tom Furlong, head of Nokia Messaging, that RIM is taking matters into its own hands.
However, Furlong also left us with this little statement, ‘We are in the interim period of time when we have dropped support ourselves, and Blackberry is readying support for their service on Nokia devices‘, meaning that enterprise S60 lovers will (hopefully) soon be able to enjoy BlackBerry services on their Eseries (and hopefully others) once again.
While we don’t have any way yet of confirming this, it’s safe to assume that what Furlong is talking about RIM’s forthcoming BlackBerry Application Suite, which will surely drive the last nail in BB Connect’s coffin.
|via Symbian-Guru|
Posted on November 27, 2008, at 1:30 pm .
The Smoke Labs mobile entertainment and lifestyle blog QuicklyBored has posted an anecdote about haggling with carriers to get a new device at the carrier-subsidized price while you’re still on contract. The author, W4lnut, had a Nokia N95 with 2.5 years left on his contract, and he managed to get the BlackBerry Bold for $199 on a renewed 3 year contract. It’s a good article for anyone looking for some extra buzz words and jargon to spit at customer service in order to get exactly what you want.
[Via QuicklyBored]
Posted on November 7, 2008, at 10:04 am .
UK research firm Canalys released a report yesterday stating that the iPhone 3G surpassed BlackBerry during calendar Q3 2008 to take the number two spot in worldwide market share behind Nokia. Apple shipped 6.9 million iPhones to grab 17.3% of the market. RIM shipped just over 6 million BlackBerrys during Q3 for third place with 15.2% of the market. Nokia noticeably dropped from 51.4% at Q3 2007 to 38.9% Q3 2008.
But don’t hang yourself yet, members of the BlackBerry Nation. Canalys fully expects RIM to overtake Apple in Q4, once all those delayed BlackBerrys (read: BlackBerry Bold, BlackBerry Storm, BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220) start shipping like hot cakes. You can see some metrics on world wide OS market share after the jump.
|via Fortune|
Continue reading ‘Apple surpasses RIM in worldwide smartphone market’
Posted on October 2, 2008, at 8:53 am .
Speaking at the Churchill Club, a speakers’ forum for Silicon Valley civic leaders, Nokia President and CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo had a few things to say about a variety of his competitors (Google, Apple, etc.), but saved his strongest words for RIM. While he said he was impressed by RIM’s strategy to sell not just devices but whole solutions for managing corporate e-mail securely, he indicated that Nokia’s recent deal to place Microsoft email support on Nokia’s 80 million Series 60 phones as the key to defeating the boys and girls from Waterloo.
“Multiply what RIM has been doing here,” the Nokia executive said of his own company’s strategy to provide e-mail not only to business users but also consumers and a category of avid users in between the two markets, nicknamed “prosumers.”
“We will exceed the RIM client (BlackBerry) in some months with a very good e-mail system,” Kallasvuo promised.
What do you think, folks? Typical CEO bluster or a laying of the gauntlet. Nokia certainly sells a lot of phones every year, and a lot more than RIM…
(via Reuters)
