Microsoft Push Email to Challenge Blackberry

James Joyner · Tuesday, June 7, 2005 · 2 comments

After once again waiting until a rival has near universal coverage in a market it established, Microsoft is going to try to beat Blackberry at its own game.

Microsoft Push Email to Challenge Blackberry (NFHQ)

Microsoft is set to challenge the dominance of the BlackBerry by introducing its own system for sending and receiving e-mails to mobile phones and other hand-held devices. A free upgrade pack, due in October 2005, will enable customers using its latest e-mail server software to send messages automatically to mobile phones running on Microsoft software.

“One of the key components of the Messaging and Security Feature Pack is to enhance the Outlook mobile experience by pushing e-mail from Exchange to handhelds equipped with Windows 5.0 using our new Direct Push Technology,” said Jason Langridge, UK mobility manager at Microsoft. “Another key component is to provide the ability to protect managed devices directly through Exchange.”

The Guardian – The upgrades will affect around 130 million people using the Microsoft servers, potentially causing the market for wireless email to explode. It also does away with the need to buy separate handheld email devices.

MSN Money – Microsoft’s “push” e-mail service is designed primarily to work with mobile phones running its Windows Mobile 5.0 software. But the software group has also licensed the technology to handset manufacturers such as Nokia, Motorola and PalmOne, and Symbian, a rival mobile operating system maker.

the Inquirer – That ‘Push’ capability should really scare the independent software vendors. After all, the ability to trickle received emails down to the mobile device – or Push email – is what helped to build the RIM Blackberry’s current position.. .. Crucially both Nokia and Symbian have licensed the ActiveSync protocol from Microsoft and an impressive features pack could help them to oust the Blackberry.

If they hadn’t managed to nearly wipe Netscape and WordPerfect off the map when those companies seemed unbeatable, I’d be more skeptical. Still, the anti-trust forces are paying very close attention to any moves Microsoft makes.