BlackBerry vs. iPhone in battle over business smart phones

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Apple is pitting its iPhone against the BlackBerry, the reigning champion of business devices.

In our Business section cover story Sunday, we look at how some companies are swapping out their BlackBerries for iPhones in the belief that Apple’s device allows employees to have a more user-friendly experience, as well as access to the growing number of business-focused applications in Apple’s App Store.

Companies are also beginning to adopt tablet computers like the iPad for a variety of purposes: social networking, presentation sharing, visual tours and, sometimes, just impressing clients.

But BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Inc. still has a big hunk of the corporate smart phone market -- more than 50%, according to comScore -- and the Canadian company is trying to keep a firm grip on its hard-won market by making its devices more attractive to regular consumers, as well as developing a tablet computer of its own.

Both companies are banking on the idea that, as smart phones get more sophisticated, business users will want a single device for both personal and professional use.

At the bottom of the post is a short video about the brewing battle between the iPhone and the BlackBerry.

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BlackBerry vs. iPhone: What’s in your pocket?

IPhones account for 23% of business smart phones to BlackBerry’s 51%, ComScore says

Android for men, iPhone for women, smartphones for 29.7% of mobile subscribers, says Nielsen

-- David Sarno

Image credit: Eddie Guy / For The Times

Video credit: Pat Benson / Los Angeles Times