RIM Gains Mainstream Status

BlackBerry 's smartphones continue to gain mainstream footing with the addition of 3.8 million new BlackBerry users during its second quarter.

Once the exclusive domain of mobile professionals, RIM said more than 80% of its new subscribers were non-enterprise users. The company still maintains a dominant position in the enterprise mobility market thanks to its push e-mail and BlackBerry Enterprise Server, but it has been focusing more on the mainstream market with devices such as the low-cost BlackBerry Curve 8520, the touch-screen BlackBerry Storm. The company recently launched an application store and social network.

"As we head into the third quarter we look forward to gaining traction with BlackBerry services in new market segments to drive the next leg of growth for the company," said co-CEO Jim Balsillie during a conference call Thursday. "We are teed up to go much more mainstream."

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— Marin Perez, InformationWeek