Bank Gives BlackBerry The Boot for iPhones

[Michael Essany]

It's one small step for Apple, one giant leap backwards for BlackBerry.

Standard Chartered, the mega-British bank with locations in better than 70 nations around the world, is bucking the BlackBerry as its "standard corporate communications device," according to a report Monday from Reuters. "It's a group-wide initiative involving wholesale and consumer banks globally," a company rep told the newswire, noting that Standard Chartered will continue picking up the tab on monthly billing for business-related telephone and data services.

Why is this significant? For starters, Standard Chartered has roughly 75,000 employees. That's a whole lot of potential iPhone sales - and not just for employees presently without a work-issued handset. Employees currently using a BlackBerry have also been cleared to drop the BlackBerry (if they choose to do so) and switch to the iPhone. As the coverage indicates, the transition from BlackBerry to iPhone in a major financial institution is far from commonplace. Many prominent firms, like HSBC Holdings and Morgan Stanley, won't touch an iPhone with a ten foot pole and remain staunch BlackBerry loyalists.

Standard Chartered, however, is breaking the BlackBerry's grip as the "standard corporate communications device" for a major multinational financial establishment. And it wouldn't be utterly astounding if others soon follow suit, especially with Apple poised and ready to seize a bigger chunk of the enterprise market later this year with the release of the 4th gen iPhone - the most business-friendly model of Apple's smartphone to date.

Image via Apple

[manickbarry]

apple are taking over the world fast

[extremzocker]

Apple will need to become more business orinitated if they want these consumers.

[n00neimp0rtant]

It begs the question: do they get in trouble for jailbreaking it?

[rhekt]

^naw. why would they? well, unless its considered company property. that could be considered some kind of vandalism.

[toolwerx]

yes, that would compromise the security of the device i would think....

[elite_jounin]

Apple will need to become more business orinitated if they want these consumers.

Sorry but your comment makes no sense. iPhone does everything AND MORE than a Blackberry. It's not an opinion it's a fact. Anyone who owns an iPhone could attest to this. iPhone is and can be whatever you want it to be, it's up to YOU on how you use it.

Oh BTW, We use iPhone's at my job and I work for the county (I.T. Department) we trashed our Blackberry's a little over a year ago

[thetoothfairy]

Sorry but your comment makes no sense. iPhone does everything AND MORE than a Blackberry. It's not an opinion it's a fact. Anyone who owns an iPhone could attest to this. iPhone is and can be whatever you want it to be, it's up to YOU on how you use it.

Oh BTW, We use iPhone's at my job and I work for the county (I.T. Department) we trashed our Blackberry's a little over a year ago

I will agree with you 100% There isn't much a iPhone can't do....

[wolverinemarky]

guess RIM will be suing soon for them taking their customers lol

[santacruzlocal]

Apple will need to become more business orinitated if they want these consumers.

Like everyone has said ... and by this you mean?

Because I have a blackberry at work, and texts and email are hard to read, I actually have them forwarded to my iPhone.

[buzios]

Sorry but your comment makes no sense. iPhone does everything AND MORE than a Blackberry. It's not an opinion it's a fact. Anyone who owns an iPhone could attest to this. iPhone is and can be whatever you want it to be, it's up to YOU on how you use it.

Oh BTW, We use iPhone's at my job and I work for the county (I.T. Department) we trashed our Blackberry's a little over a year ago

I develop apps for iPhone and BB and have several devices from both companies. My personal phone is an iPhone. Having said that it is clear that I prefer the iPhone but.....

BlackBerry has one major advantage over iPhone. Anyone can write an app and distribute it to all BBs in the world.

You don't have to jailbreak a BB and you don't have to ask for a "blessing" from BB to distribute your app.

The correct statement is: "The iPhone can be whatever you want as long as you get a blessing from Apple"

In other words, "By Appointment of Steve" is not required for BB.

[MikePA]

Because I have a blackberry at work, and texts and email are hard to read, I actually have them forwarded to my iPhone.

Geez, talk about a security issue.

We're evaluating software from Good that runs on a number of Smartphones, including the iPhone. The application offers secure email, calendar and contacts and the rest of the phone can be used however the user wants to. We're trying to get away from corporate owned Smartphones, including Blackberrys and move to supporting only the Good app. The Good app also runs on the iPad.

[whereswaldo]

1 down, a lot to go

[elite_jounin]

I develop apps for iPhone and BB and have several devices from both companies. My personal phone is an iPhone. Having said that it is clear that I prefer the iPhone but.....

BlackBerry has one major advantage over iPhone. Anyone can write an app and distribute it to all BBs in the world.

You don't have to jailbreak a BB and you don't have to ask for a "blessing" from BB to distribute your app.

The correct statement is: "The iPhone can be whatever you want as long as you get a blessing from Apple"

In other words, "By Appointment of Steve" is not required for BB.

Strange...I thought in a press conference I recall an apple exec. stating something about opening their software to allow company's to distribute their own personal apps aside from the app store for personal/organizational use? Maybe I misunderstood that since programming doesn't fascinate me much.

I've also worked in multiple environments and never seen anyone develop for Blackberry's. Not saying they don't, but it doesn't seem like a common practice. I dont know. I agree that Apple is BIG on restrictions, are we sure this is one of them?

[awesomeSlayer]

Prediction:

All your phones are owned by iPhone.

[baabaa]

I will agree with you 100% There isn't much a iPhone can't do....

I also agree but iPhone doesn't have "real" keypad.

I have my iPhone for personal use and have a BlackBerry for business use. My iPhone 3GS can never replace my Bold.

[eortizr]

I will agree with you 100% There isn't much a iPhone can't do....

except been the most secure smartphone device in the world...

and the new BlackBerry 6 is not that bad whatsoever

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlO8KMv7Bx4[/ame]

[mactwisted]

it's really just a matter of time before more major companies leave the limits of rim behind for the unlimited possibilities of the iphone. why didn't rim see this coming with the iphone 1st gen?

thanks and tap that thanks button while you're at it...

[mavisxp]

Who is the genius that comes up with these headlines? The bank is giving employees the OPTION of using an iPhone instead of a BlackBerry. How does that equal giving BlackBerrys "the boot?"

Sensational headlines are fun and all, but it would be fantastic if they weren't blatantly misleading.

[elite_jounin]

except been the most secure smartphone device in the world...

and the new BlackBerry 6 is not that bad whatsoever

I cant stop laughing at that blackberry6 vid you posted! what the hell were they thinking?? LMAO