RIM’s announcement that it is going to focus on the business end of the market is somewhat overdue. The way I see this panning is as follows:
1. RIM continues to lose market share in both the consumer and business markets – Microsoft will start nibbling away at the corporate market with the launch of Windows Mobile 8. CIO’s are going to have to look to the future – continue with a has-been technology leader in the form of Blackberry, or opt for something that is safe and will have the Big Gorilla’s muscle? The latter obviously.
2. Expect corporates to ditch the Blackberry technology
3. The consumer segment will be put up for sale. Who will buy it? Well unless they (RIM) license their BBM, and let’s face it, this is what what consumers use it for, so called “free” messaging, there will be no takers for the actual phones, just the messaging paltform.
4. Blackberry joins the scrap-pile of mobile phone companies a victim of their own arrogance that there platform is untouchable.