While tight integration with Microsoft Office and Windows 8 makes Windows Phone 8 a solid option for businesses that are considering adopting a standard platform for all their phones, Microsoft certainly has solid competition in this area.
Recently Samsung has started pushing hard into the enterprise world, and even though they have Windows Phone 8 devices, it has been the Note 2 and Galaxy S3 that they have been using to target this new campaign.
Then we have RIM. RIM’s Blackberry line has long been a popular choice in the enterprise world, but then again so has Windows (going back to the Windows Mobile days). With BB10 just around the corner, Microsoft will have increased competition from the Canadian handset maker. Even more interestingly, they could eventually see competition from Lenovo as well.
Lenovo continues to expand its smartphone market and seems interested in bringing its handsets to major markets like the United States. Until now they have pretty much been an Android partner, but rumors indicate that they could be getting involved both with Windows Phone 8 and Blackberry 10.
With RIM announcing the possibility of selling its hardware division or even licensing out BB10, Lenovo has piped up to speak out about possible interested in the platform. According to Lenovo’s Chief Financial Officer Wong Wai, “We are looking at all opportunities — RIM and many others…We’ll have no hesitation if the right opportunity comes along that could benefit us and shareholders.”
With increased competition, Microsoft and its partners will need to step up their game if they want to be a major force in the Enterprise world. The good news is that Nokia has already made steps to expand further into the enterprise world through a strategic partnership with Avanade.
So here’s the big question: what mobile platform do you think is best work environments these days? Android, iOS, Blackberry or Windows Phone? Share your thoughts below.
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