RIM goes the extra mile for SA `prosumers` BLACKBERRY PHONES may have been around for a while, but South African consumers have been slower to appreciate the brand than their US and European counterparts. That`s not to say that BlackBerry has done badly locally, just that the phones have not done as well here as in other international markets.

According to Mike Lazaridis, president and co-CEO of Research In Motion (RIM), the company that introduced BlackBerry to the world, 28 million BlackBerrys have been sold worldwide, with the phone becoming the number one smartphone brand in the US, and second-most popular worldwide.

And with emerging markets such as South Africa`s being a focus for many international technology vendors, it`s easy to see why RIM has extended its investment in the country by establishing a regional office. Don Morrison, COO of BlackBerry at RIM, explains that this regional approach to managing the brand is new to the company, and has only been done in South Africa and India so far.

"This is the first time we are doing developmental work beyond the carriers," he says. "We have always relied on carriers to bring the brand to their countries, because who knows the most about South African mobile phone consumers? MTN and Vodacom.

"Now, we are demonstrating our commitment to the South African market, and going even further than just providing support e working with them and their customers. We are also picking partners to help advise on business support through training and market programmes, and helping to build the ecosystem that way."

THE BACK-END BEHIND THE HANDHELD

Jim Balsillie, co-CEO of RIM, says people think of BlackBerry as device, but the company thinks of it more as a platform. "While device choice is entirely up to carriers, we see ourselves in an enabling role," he says. "BlackBerry is fundamentally about efficient communications, so our priority is to drive communications through the application ecosystem and carrier partnerships." To this end, RIM has announced a BlackBerry Partners Fund, a US$150 million venture capital fund, to invest in mobile applications and services for the BlackBerry platform and other mobile platforms.

Agnostic to both development stage and balance sheet, the BlackBerry Partners Fund will not restrict the development of mobile applications and services to any single mobile platform or any specific industry segment. The fund will be designed to advance the industry by fostering development and driving the entrepreneurial spirit to create the most innovative mobile offerings for customers, and South African developers welcome to their share of the money for any applications they create for BlackBerry.

TARGETING THE PROSUMER

While BlackBerry is primarily a business tool, allowing easy access to e-mail, RIM has recognised that the difference between work and play is narrowing, and is therefore focusing on brand awareness across all markets. Morrison says that one of the company`s top priorities is to build brand awareness, to make people conscious of the various benefits the BlackBerry can bring them in their personal and professional lives.

This is succinctly summed up by Balsillie`s statement that "the cloud incorporates everything now, including life services. A file`s a file, whether it`s a video clip or a powerpoint presentation." The developers seem to have caught on fast, with applications incorporating Facebook, weather reports, sports stats, and entertainment updates being built alongside mobile CRM and BI applications.

And while BlackBerry is positioning itself as an aspirational brand, going after the "prosumer" who will use the phone for both work and play, RIM is also aware of economic realities.

Deon Liebenberg, RIM`s director for sub-Sahara Africa, explains that because the company is focused on the individual needs of its customers (witnessed by various business offerings dependent on the size of a company), a prepaid option is on the horizon very soon.