How Microsoft Can Replace RIM in the Enterprise

It has been an interesting year in the smartphone space. The iPhone and Android continue to gain market share at the expense of other platforms such as Blackberry and Windows. RIM, the maker of Blackberry, has not introduced a new phone in months, and is struggling to introduce their next generation operating system. The battle will be drawn for third place after the two leaders. Microsoft is presented with an opportunity they have not had in years. Their new mobile OS, Windows Phone 7, has been well received. And the coming update to Windows Phone, known as Mango, brings it up to a truly competitive level. But one set of features can make it a true competitor to Blackberry, secure enterprise messaging.

RIM made the Blackberry a fixture in the enterprise by creating a secure software platform, Blackberry Enterprise Server, that works with Microsoft Exchange and brings the messaging synchronization to mobile devices. That was years ago. Now Microsoft, after too many missteps, has a phone OS that is modern, that is attracting development, and that has first class phone manufacturers such as Nokia and Samsung preparing to introduce new devices.

Blackberry has two features that continue to hold customers, secure email and Blackberry Messenger. Providing these features in Windows Phone, combined with Exchange Server, Sharepoint, and Office, Microsoft can give the enterprise a reason to migrate from Blackberry to their new platform. They can become the third mobile ecosystem.

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