BlackBerry had better take cover – the twin powers of Nokia and Microsoft have combined to create the Microsoft Communicator Mobile software.
As a result of an alliance between mobile phone manufacturer Nokia and software giant Microsoft – formed in August 2009 to challenge BlackBerry and its market share – the Microsoft Communicator Mobile app lets business users message colleagues through email, text, IM or phone. With the ability to see colleagues’ availability, you can simply select the most suitable method of communication.
The app is designed to go head-to-head with the likes of the BlackBerry Messenger app which is so popular with business users.
Back in August last year, Robert Andersson, executive vice president for devices at Nokia, said of the alliance: “This is giving some of our competitors – let’s spell it out, Research in Motion (RIM) – a run for their money. I don’t think Blackberry has seen this kind of competition.”
Previously rivals in the market, Nokia and Microsoft hope that by joining forces they can compete with the likes of BlackBerry and Apple’s iPhone.
In the company’s press release, Ukko Lappalainen, vice president at Nokia, said: “This application really provides a much more efficient way to work with others, as you can see if someone is busy or available and the best way to start a conversation with them. It also meets all of the requirements for the enterprise: cost-effective to implement, secure, familiar and reliable.”
The app will be available at first on the Nokia E52 and the Nokia E72 – both handsets that run on the Symbian OS. More phones will follow soon after with the app pre-installed, including the just-announced E5.
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