Apple's iPHONE seen as threat to BLACKBERRY

[NewEraa™]

Apple's iPhone now seen
as real threat to BlackBerry

06/03/2008 5:54:02 PM
CBC News
Apple Inc.'s move into mobile corporate e-mail with its iPhone is a serious threat to BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd., analysts say.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based maker of Macintosh computers and iPod digital music players on Thursday announced it was adding "push" e-mail to its popular iPhone in June. Push e-mail, where messages are automatically sent to the phone, has become popular with business users and is widely credited as the secret behind Waterloo, Ont.-based RIM's success.
Apple is quickly encroaching on RIM's core business, analysts say.
While Apple's move is unlikely to immediately dislodge RIM's tight hold on the business market, which it basically owns, it will limit the BlackBerry's attempts to grow in the consumer market.
"Apple is moving much more aggressively toward RIM's space than RIM is moving toward Apple," said California-based technology consultant Rob Enderle. "It takes away RIM's expansion opportunity, but it doesn't necessarily displace them."
RIM is the device of choice of business users and will likely remain so until Apple can show that the iPhone's push e-mail is as secure as the BlackBerry's.
Apple, however, also on Thursday announced a software development kit for the iPhone that will allow third parties to create applications for the device. A test version of the development kit was made available immediately.
Enderle said e-mail security software is likely to be among the first third-party applications developed for the iPhone, and should be made available by the time the push e-mail feature, which will run over Microsoft Exchange servers, debuts in June.
RIM system problematic: Jobs
Apple chief executive officer Steve Jobs took a shot at RIM's security issues during the announcement on Thursday.
He said RIM's centralized system was problematic, as was apparent during a failure a few weeks ago that caused a continent-wide outage.
"Every e-mail message that's sent to a RIM device or from a RIM device goes through a [network operations centre] up in Canada,'' Jobs said at a press event at the company's headquarters. "That provides a single point of failure, but also provides a very interesting security situation.''
A spokesperson for RIM said it does not comment on other companies' announcements.
RIM co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie welcomed the iPhone when it launched last year, saying it would boost the profile of all advanced phones, including the BlackBerry.
Shares of RIM dropped more than three per cent to $97 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday following Apple's announcement. Shares of the iPhone maker also fell more than three per cent to $120.93 U.S. on the New York Stock Exchange.
RIM has been moving in the opposite direction in coming up with BlackBerry devices that are more appealing to the general consumer market. The company has been adding music players, cameras and GPS features to its BlackBerry in an effort to expand out of its core business-user market.
The company on Thursday also announced it was adding pop artist Will.i.am's Dipdive social networking community to BlackBerry devices.
'There's room for multiple players'
Other analysts sided with Balsillie's sentiment from last year, and said RIM won't be greatly affected by Apple's move into the business market because there is still lots of room for both to grow.
Only about 15 per cent of the cellphones in the United States are smartphones - or phones with enhanced non-voice features - while Canada has only about 12 per cent, according to figures from consumer electronics tracking firm Solutions Research Group.
"Both numbers are going to double or triple in the next five to seven years, so there's room for multiple players," said president Kaan Yigit. "It's fair to say that both Apple and RIM will be the serious contenders.
"Even still, I wouldn't take it lightly because nothing Apple does should be taken lightly, but at the same time there's no reason for panic."
Apple released the iPhone in the United States last June and has since added the U.K., France and Germany, selling a total of four million units. The company has not yet announced official availability of the device in Canada.
The company also announced that venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins will start a $100-million U.S. fund for companies looking to developing applications for the iPhone. Apple will be the exclusive distributor through an online "App Store," where users will be able to buy the programs developed.
- By Peter Nowak, CBCnews.ca staff

discuss.

[Symbol]

I own and use both on a daily basis.
The iPhones email interface is buggy at best. There is no way in hell any sane company would trust their email to the iPhone.

[nubre3d]

What would be a better purchase, an iPhone or a blackberry, i'm thinkibg about buying one

[KaiyureBoy]

this article help me a lot, I am very aprreciated for it. thank you very much.
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[Rocksteddy]

I think iphone is a waste of $$. I own an ipod classic cuz I listen to music 24/7. I have a ordinary cellphone to talk to people.

[J-Spanish]

unless you are a part of a corporation or have a lot of business you need to attend to the Blackberry is useless for you.

[andyp]

Have you seen the numbers for the iPhone? It's killing every single phone out there. The Blackberry Thunder is being talked about as a possible competitor for the iPhone, not the other way around. Hell, just walk into any Rogers store & look at the crowds there just for the iPhone.

If you're asking which one I'd rather have, it's Blackberry. But in terms of popularity, the iPhone is killing Blackberry as of now.

That said, I don't really like the iPhone much. I thought it was amazing after trying it a few times, but I've tried it a bit more & it just feels like too much of a toy to me, which isn't what I'm looking for.

[TUKSEDO]

I'm a iphone user, trust me i love my ipone yo, its the next best thing to a labtop, since i've laid my hand on it, i haven't been able to put it down. You ever hear that song, my buddy my buddy everywhere i go he goes well thats an old school commercial,lol. Well anyways getting to my point, since i've had the iphone i'm practically on the net 18 hrs of the day, i'm a graphic designer and a web designer, so having it as help me and save me sometime from login around that big ass laptop around jus to check few little things online, weather to check my facebook,myspace,youtupe,even a ebay product,everything is at a simple click away. I have always been an Apple fan even tho most of my work is done on a PC, but i will always give apple a tumbs up for there creativity. For all you who ain't familer with the phone if you want something cheaper that those the same thing without the phone capability,then you need to invest in a apple itouch and start taking advantage of your wifi.

[I.Got.It]

I have a blackberry and an iphone .. In terms of entertainment, I prefer my iphone ... For everything else bb>iphone.

[theLOVEDone]

I have a blackberry and my boyfriend has an iphone. I love his phone.. my black berry is okay.. its good for phone purposes.. but thats really all i can use it for. Its reliable, it has great battery life.. other than that its just really boring. So I can see why it would be great for a business person but if your just a regular joe wanting something a little more fun id say the iphone.

[Dr. Strangelove]

blackberry is more useful for me at work despite the fact that the iphone is quite the innovation

[Sneaky]

iphone 3g > All

[Andre3Stacks]

2 different kind of beasts. (iPHONE & Bold)

But the storm doesn't even compare to the iPHONE LOL. the only people i know who are happy with the storm are girls who use their blackberry for BB messenger.

[Defunct]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csMO8bFWBdE[/ame]

[NewEraa™]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahha ha 10 stars for that vid

[Sneaky]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csMO8bFWBdE

Iphone 3G>*


they shouldn't even call it an iphone. They should call it life..........it does everything. Especially when you jail break it.