ZDNet UK

CBS INTERACTIVE UK BUSINESS SITES:
atlarge.com
BNET UK
silicon.com
SmartPlanet.com
ZDNet.co.uk

You are here: ZDNet.co.uk > News > Communications

Mobile working Toolkit

No more business as usual for the BlackBerry

David Meyer ZDNet.co.uk

Published: 12 Feb 2008 11:25 GMT

If Vodafone and RIM have their way, the BlackBerry could lose its image as the toy for the executive who has everything.

On Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, the operator announced a "deepening" of its relationship with the Canadian handset company. According to Vodafone, the BlackBerry will continue to be aimed at the business market, but the company has now also added the device to its set of preferred consumer platforms. Vodafone wants to see tighter integration of its own applications and services into the BlackBerry platform, the company said.

"This strategic agreement aims to deliver an optimised experience, aimed squarely at the needs of the customer," said Vodafone's global director of terminals, Jens Schulte-Bockum, on Monday. "In addition to growing the established enterprise market, we fully expect the appeal of the BlackBerry platform to be strongly adopted by consumers [who will be] attracted by best-in-class messaging and email, internet experience [and] a range of multimedia capabilities, including music and imaging functionality."

In the last year, RIM has been actively seeking to make the BlackBerry smartphone more attractive to consumers. Its Pearl and Curve handsets are seen as attempts to move away from the device's strongly business-centric past. RIM has also recently seen competition grow in the business market, particularly in the messaging space, where the BlackBerry platform's push-email capabilities are now matched by several other manufacturers and providers.

Did you find this article useful?

Post a comment

Full Talkback thread

0 comments

More in this Special Report

Mobile World Congress preview: The year of Linux

The show formerly known as 3GSM looks set to have a strong focus on mobile Linux this year, as well as mobile WiMax, femtocells and hosted apps more

ARM to show Android prototype

The chip designer plans to show a prototype mobile phone based on Google's Android platform next Monday at the Mobile World Congress wireless show more

Mobile World Congress: Day one highlights

The show formerly known as 3GSM is always a busy one, with many mobile and telecoms companies competing with each other to make the biggest splash more

Emerging mobile tech to watch out for

The Mobile World Congress isn't just about an infinite number of similar handsets, operators trying to get anyone interested in mobile TV, and platform wars. Lots of companies have something a little bit different on offer more

Sony Ericsson goes Windows Mobile

The manufacturer launches its Windows Mobile-based Xperia line with the X1 handset, while Microsoft hints at a future tie-in with Nokia more

EU: Cut data-roaming costs or face regulation

At the Mobile World Congress, EU commissioner Viviane Reding said regulation will be introduced if operators don't cut their data-roaming charges by July more

More heavyweights join mobile Linux group

Orange and Access join the LiMo Foundation to collaborate on its upcoming mobile Linux platform, which promises more applications for users more

Vodafone warns of threat from Google and Apple

Chief executive Arun Sarin has warned the industry to get creative around mobile services or risk being sidelined by newer arrivals more

RIM: BlackBerry's future lies in social networking

Co-chief executive Jim Balsillie has said an enterprise social-networking revolution is on the way more

Mobile World Congress: The final analysis

Mobile World Congress 2008 was short on jaw-dropping announcements, but provided a fascinating glimpse into an industry on the brink of turmoil more

The reality of mobile Linux: Part one

At the Mobile World Congress, ZDNet.co.uk looks at how mobile Linux is already making an impact on handsets, with platforms and toolkits shown off by Trolltech, Access and Azingo more

The reality of mobile Linux: Part two

At the Mobile World Congress, ZDNet.co.uk examines Linux handsets which are already on the market, as well as a low-cost Linux-based 3G phone and Google's Android platform more