The BlackBerry platform will be more enriched, owing to RIM’s association with China Mobile. Both these firms plan to support TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE technologies on the BlackBerry smartphone platform. They also aim to launch BlackBerry Internet Service and BlackBerry smartphones for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and professional consumers.
Chinese customers can now avail of localized content and applications on their BlackBerry smartphones. Right from the time when the BlackBerry solution was introduced in China, both companies have been concentrating more on their enterprise customers including BaoSteel Group, China International Capital Corporation (CICC), CITIC Security, COSCO, Essence Securities and Ping An Insurance.
“BlackBerry smartphones are the world’s leading communications tool for business users and are increasingly adopted by consumers for their powerful messaging and multimedia capabilities. In addition to growing the established enterprise market, we also plan to offer BlackBerry Internet Service to individuals and SMBs in China. Furthermore, we are expanding our strategic objectives together as RIM plans to support TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE technologies on BlackBerry smartphones,” quoted Wang Jianzhou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, China Mobile.
“We are very pleased to expand our strategic relationship with China Mobile. With these new business and technology initiatives, we believe that RIM and China Mobile will be in a strengthened position to serve Chinese customers and to jointly address the growing smartphone market opportunity in China,” mentioned Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO at Research In Motion.
Both China Mobile and RIM envisages the development of BlackBerry smartphones supporting TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE technologies. With BlackBerry Internet Service, the smartphone users can access a wide range of applications including access to social networking sites, email and instant messaging. BlackBerry Internet Service from China Mobile will also support customized content through services such as Mobile Market, FETION and other web-based services.
BlackBerry Internet Service is expected to be available from China Mobile in 2010. However, the availability of BlackBerry smartphones for SMBs and professional consumers in China will be announced later.