Apple's March 11 launch date for the iPad 2 makes the release of the BlackBerry Playbook the following month risky — despite RIM's dominance in the corporate market, analysts say.
RIM unveiled its soon-to-launch tablet computer last September in an effort to compete with Apple's popular iPad. However, technology watchers are questioning the Playbook's chances of success in the market after Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the new version of the iPad and announced its imminent launch at a media event earlier this week.
In the mobile space, Research in Motion's legacy as a developer of a secure and well-encrypted platform guarantees the company significant market share. However according to technology market analysts, marketing tablet computers will be a new challenge for the Waterloo, Ont.-based company as it prepare to launch the Playbook in April.
"RIM has an advantage in terms of security with corporations … but [the IT industry] has not yet embraced tablets,” said market analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group. "As a result, the Playbook may not get a lot of play.”
Enderle is joined by other observers in his skepticism. Philip Redman, research vice-president at Gartner Research, hopes that more will become clear as RIM's release date nears.
IPad 2 launch date puts RIM at risk: analysts
