Why do corporate and institutional decision makers choose BlackBerry over iPhone, Android, Droid, or other smartphones? Probably for the same reasons Barack Obama and his top 10 contacts haven't "made the switch" away from BlackBerry: security, control, and system integration.
Read the tech-related comments Obama made on The View.
Tech Republic's Jason Hiner wrote about five reasons companies stay with BlackBerry back in April, and the points are still right on the money.
Here are high points of those five reasons BlackBerry continues to dominate.
1-Allows software development .
BlackBerry's open platform permits companies to write software they need for control and monitoring of their employees' activity. Plus, BlackBerry Enterprise lets companies roll out their own changes to their users via the wireless telecommunications network. Compare that to the iPhone, where all apps must come from Apple via iTunes or the App Store.
2-Provides for security and compliance.
The RIM BlackBerry hardware, software, and operating system are tightly integrated and provide solid security. The system was designed for banks and governments with high level security requirements. It supports data encryption and compliance with privacy laws such as HIPAA and Gramm Leach Bliley. Details on BlackBerry's web site security page.
3-Gives data control to the centralized IT team.
BlackBerry has a history of being easier to test, standardize, and roll out than other handhelds. BlackBerry is designed to allow the IT group to wipe all data from a device after it was lost or stolen, and do the same to an employee's device after that employee leaves the company. It's also easier to fix problems remotely, using functionality integral to the BlackBerry rather than third party add-ons required for the other smartphones.
4-Integrates with corporation's software .
BlackBerry synchronizes well with corporate email, calendar, and contact management systems, as well as business applications from companies including IBM and Oracle. RIM continues to make this a priority, and BlackBerries synchronize wirelessly to major applications. Compare that to using iTunes or MobileMe to synchronize.
5-Integrates with business phone systems.
BlackBerry facilitates smart call forwarding, letting calls ring at the desk or on the BlackBerry if the employee is away. A newer feature allows Voice over Wi-Fi.
The other phones aren't building in these robust integration, security, and control features. The focus there is on the consumer, rather than corporate, market. Microsoft's Windows phone challenged in the past but has more recently shifted focus toward the consumer market.
Here's a recent comparison of pricing for BlackBerry and other smartphones.
This article focuses on home user needs.
Read about RIM's upcoming BlackBerry 9800 announcement.
And this article covers reasons home users switch from iPhone to BlackBerry.
Copyright © Susan J. Walker July 2010
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