The release of the PlayBook by Research in Motion is a maneuver designed to preempt another company getting in on the secure tablet market. The negative critiques of the PlayBook that we’re seeing miss the point. RIM has been developing its tablet for too long. The company needs to get it to market, because if they don’t then someone else may develop an application or ecosystem that is just as secure and that runs on Android or iPad.
RIM has always differentiated itself by offering highly secure data communications. It’s the company’s key strength. RIM can’t really compete against the iPad or Android tablets for the consumer market. It must stay focused on the corporate market, where security and data integrity are paramount.
RIM is taking a risk, but the alternative of waiting for perfection is even riskier at this stage. Apple and Android have been making inroads in the security conscious corporate clientele. The risks can be managed because the installed base of BlackBerry clients will at least see movement and may forgive some initial errors on the part of RIM.
Richard Martin is founder and president of Alcera Consulting Inc. He brings his military and business leadership experience to bear for executives and organizations seeking to exploit change, maximize opportunity, and minimize risk.
© 2011 Richard Martin. Reproduction and quotes are permitted with proper attribution.
[…] I wrote last year at about this time that RIM had to refocus on its true strength, which is the management and security of corporate and institutional mobile digital communications. I said at this time that it was the only way that RIM would be able to maintain its differentiation in the face of the Apple and Android onslaught. […]