Even as Apple Inc.’s 3G iPhone ventures into the enterprise market, Research In Motion Ltd. is expected to continue its dominance in the business sector with the upcoming release of the 3G BlackBerry Bold, according to a report by Pacific Crest Securities.
The new BlackBerry model “should help keep the core enterprise market share intact,” the report states.
However, a survey by ChangeWave suggests the iPhone is starting to make a dent in the corporate marketplace, where RIM maintains a big market-share lead.
AT&T Mobility is the exclusive carrier offering the Bold, but the company has not given an exact date of when it will be available this year. Pricing for the phone also has not been announced.
The iPhone, another exclusive handset through AT&T Mobility, is being promoted as “the best phone for business. Ever.”
Pacific Crest Securities, a leading investment bank exclusively focused on technology, said the Bold is better for messaging but lags behind the iPhone’s ability when it comes to multimedia.
“The Bold will continue to make BlackBerry devices first choice among business users and those who value the inclusion of a tactile keyboard for e-mail and messaging,” according to the report. But the Bold “is much less user friendly in managing an iTunes library.”
The iPhone was also rated to be superior over the Bold when it comes to video games and browsing the Internet because of the device’s touch screen, screen size and Application Store.
The Bold’s screen is a significant upgrade from previous generations and features an improved user interface, Pacific Crest noted. The Bold also has upgraded its Internet capabilities by changing from a WAP browsing experience to a full-HTML browser. Functions allow the smartphone to zoom in on a Web site and change views.
“Although a significant improvement over previous BlackBerry devices, the size of the screen and multi-touch functionality keep the Bold a long way behind the 3G iPhone in terms of the overall Internet experience,” according to the report.
The report also predicts the Bold is unlikely to attract new BlackBerry users if the price tag of the phone is set at $300.
“We believe the consumers who do not have their phone paid for by their companies may find the $300 subsidized price tag difficult to swallow,” the report states.
Bold users will likely be customers who upgrade from previous devices like the 8700 or the BlackBerry Curve. Regardless of the Bold, the firm expects the fiscal third-quarter for RIM to be strong and said the company will benefit from the launch of other new products, such as the KickStart and Javelin.
The survey by ChangeWave also shows RIM having a healthy lead over its two main competitors, Palm Inc. and Apple. The research network surveyed close to 2,000 information-technology professionals.
In terms of planned fourth-quarter purchases, 79% of I.T. professionals said they planned to purchase BlackBerry devices. The number is down three points from the record high RIM registered in a May survey. The results were released Sept. 1.
Apple continues to show considerable momentum in terms of corporate planned purchases, up four points to 17%, according to the survey.
“While recent ChangeWave consumer surveys show the iPhone 3G is having a huge impact on consumer demand, more current results show that the phone is beginning to gain real traction in the corporate market as well,” according to the survey.
The survey also shows that 19% of the respondents said the release of the iPhone has made their company more likely to purchase Apple products in the future. Six percent of respondents planned to purchase Palm devices.
ChangeWave is a subsidiary of InvestorPlace Media L.L.C. The research network was created in 2001 to identify trends, technologies and companies best-positioned to capitalize in today’s market.
