UPDATED 07:36 EDT / NOVEMBER 29 2011

RIM’s Mobile Fusion Hopes to Secure Rivals’ Users Too

RIM can’t deny the fact that sales of their smartphones and tablet continue to decline, as more people are enticed to use iOS and Android devices.  And with the anticipation for new devices running Windows Phone, it seems like the market has no place for the once prestigious mobile maker.

People aren’t giving RIM much attention at all–their latest upgrade was hardly even noticed.  If you recall, last week BlackBerry software update was released, including an updated version of Adobe Flash Player version 11.1 and Adobe AIR 3.1, daylight savings time updates for time zones in the regions of Latin America, Australia and Central America, updated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi software to help to improve connectivity, fixed issues some users were experiencing with account payments in the BlackBerry App World storefront, and improved synching when restoring applications with BlackBerry Desktop Software.

RIM is also offering a free PlayBook tablet if  IT managers decide to upgrade to the BlackBerry Enterprise Server v5.0 before December 31st, 2011.

So what can RIM do to get some love?

RIM plans to reach out to competitors with the BlackBerry Fusion Mobile.  It will help manage mobile devices faster, easier and be more organized.  It will offer a unified interface to manage BlackBerry smartphones and the PlayBook, as well as other devices using iOS and Android.  The Fusion Mobile will be a part of the BlackBerry Enterprise Service – a service that acts like a middle man between servers, networks, workstations ans even mobile devices.  The target date for Mobile Fusion release is by 2012.

BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Key Features

  • Manage devices, users, groups and policies from a single place
  • Manage and secure BlackBerry PlayBook tablets
  • Manage required and optional work applications
  • Support for devices that use Apple iOS and Google Android operating systems
  • Supports BlackBerry Balance technology for BlackBerry devices
  • Security designed for everyone

“What our enterprise customers are looking for, and the opportunity for us, is to become the de facto platform,” RIM’s vice-president for enterprise product management, Alan Panezic, told Reuters in an interview ahead of the announcement.

“We will take full advantage of whatever security capabilities are provided by the core operating system. We’re not going to hold that back in any way, shape or form.”

RIM’s acquisition of Ubitexx, a device management and security software developer, plays a great role in the culmination of the Mobile Fusion software.

This could possibly resurrect RIM as the tech community is in dire need of something to address the security concerns of their company while also providing a way to make things easier for IT personnel in any given businesses.

RIM suffered a few major setbacks with their service outage and poor sales, but had a slight comeback with their BlackBerry 7 smartphones, and consumers in Indonesia went crazy when the BlackBerry Bold 9790 went on sale last week. Their shares were up by 3% on Monday but this doesn’t say much, as their shares have fallen as much as 70% this year.


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