BlackBerry and Motorola Good or Bad?

Implications: - competition to BlackBerry in wireless email is starting to loom larger:  Nokia/Intellisync, Microsoft, and now Motorola/Good
- at the same time, greater functionality on more devices, and greater experience in marketplace, means users are more easily able to configure and use wireless email services
- slow takeup of 3G services in most countries means that email has not been superseded by any other form of data communications
- so ... the wireless email market should continue to grow across geographies and deeper into business sectors


Analysis: BlackBerry still has the edge in devices, operating system, architecture, wireless knowhow and, above all, market share.   So long as the wireless email remains the core application in the white-collar wireless world, then they will still be hard to shift from Number One.

Many mobile operators dislike the BlackBerry business model, as much of the "smartstuff" is outside of the mobile network.  The newer competitors can offer more flexibility to mobile operators, and therefore more of a stick to soften up BlackBerry.

Although the Pearl has got off to a shining start, it is for the first time seeking to promote non-email functionality (camera, music, voice) as almost equal to email.  This is moving away from RIM's sweetspot and carries a greater risk than deepening penetration into the email-centric worker.

Net net ... Motorola has definitely strengthened its potential by acquiring Good.  Whether it can deliver the overall wireless email experience is yet to be tested.