But the Apple Blog says RIM has been forced into the tablet market by the loss of corporate customers to the iPhone. “Since a tablet is definitely useful in a business setting, people are already buying iPads for enterprise purposes, basically because they don’t have a choice.”
Lex thinks the wilting share price, despite RIM’s recent bumper quarter, is a sign of a deeper malaise. “It is not clear whether the company’s ideal customer is an executive traveling to a meeting, or a teenager messaging friends and playing games.”
The other problem is that RIM is relying on a new software platform trying to win developers’ mindshare. An IDC-Appcelerator survey early this week notes that, long-term, developers are looking to Android.
Says IDC: “72% of developers say Android ‘is best positioned to power a large number and variety of connected devices in the future,’ compared to 25% for iOS. As a result, 59% of developers now favor Android's long-term outlook versus 35% for iOS. This gap has widened 10 points since a similar survey in June.”
PlayBook will play well in corporate IT departments, but users prefer apps.
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