The Real Threat To BlackBerry

Nokia released its version of the BlackBerry-killer today -- three of them, in fact. It launched the "E Series" (presumably E for Enterprise) with three Series 60-based handsets, one fairly standard candybar setup, and 2 with full keyboards, one a flip model along the lines of the 6800 series, and another looking pretty much like a BlackBerry or Treo. Different form factors for different tastes -- something that took RIM a few years to figure out and something that goes along with what Sony Ericsson was telling me about the demand for Java productivity apps.

The form factors aren't what makes this a threat to BlackBerry, nor the Nokia badge. It's the platform agnosticism when it comes to push e-mail. The E Series devices support six push e-mail platforms (BlackBerry Connect, GoodLink, Nokia Business Center, Seven Mobile Mail, Seven Always-On Mail and Visto Mobile), and of course, anything else that comes along with a Series 60 client. This means users, or more importantly, their corporate IT departments, aren't tied into BlackBerry (or any other provider's) service. Having a large installed base of BlackBerry devices, compatible only with RIM's service, is a good lock-in. Should a company want to switch, they've got to replace a slew of devices -- but not so with the E series and other platform-agnostic devices.

Ah, but Windows Mobile can do this too, you say. That's true, but the success of BlackBerry and its much, much simpler OS versus Windows Mobile indicates that while people want powerful data capabilities on a BlackBerry-style device, they want something that works more like a phone -- meaning there's a big opportunity in the space for Series 60 devices.

It should also be pointed out that the E Series are compatible with Avaya and Cisco IP PBX systems by virtue of Wi-Fi connections. Of course, there's a BlackBerry that can connect to PBX systems and do email over Wi-Fi... but it doesn't have a cellular radio.