I just gleaned some interesting info from an article by Daisuke Wakabayashi of Reuters about Microsoft’s latest attempt to compete with RIM.
“The Microsoft System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 will allow technology administrators to send applications to phones, control security and generally simplify management of devices.” Microsoft wants to be for the high-end mobile device what it is now for the PC.
Now this sounds like deja vu I remember Microsoft promising how their last version of Exchange would blow BlackBerry push email out of the water. It seems that Microsoft is doomed to always be 5 steps behind RIM offering an inferior product. They plan on finally offering features that RIM has had for over 5 years.
As Daisuke points out Microsoft has always had the problem that they do not control the devices that their software runs on. The new devices will be made by Samsung, Palm, and Motorola which so far have not been able to compete with the devices that are designed specifically by RIM for RIM software. If anything I think Microsoft has to worry about the new Virtual BlackBerry software that will run on Windows Mobile.
