Research In Motion Limited (USA) (NASDAQ:RIMM) (TSE:RIM)’s last ditch effort to stay alive is its BlackBerry 10 device, which is set to be unveiled on Jan. 10, one trend that could help this device’s popularity is the use of personal devices in the workplace.
According to Businessweek, there’s an emerging market for employers who allow employees to use their own devices while on the job. In fact, PricewaterhouseCoopers reports that about 28 percent of workers do use personal devices for their work. The emerging market grew into an approximately $67.2 billion market in 2011.
There are a few issues facing employers and employees when it comes to using personal devices on the job. For example, employers have a right to access work-related data on their employees’ phones, but not employees’ personal data. There’s also the security risk involved in allowing employees to use their own devices for work. However, the money that can be saved by businesses that shift the burden of device purchases and maintenance over to their employees is making this an attractive route.
Research In Motion Limited (NASDAQ:RIMM) (TSE:RIM) is unveiling its new BlackBerry Balance service on Jan. 10, along with the new BlackBerry 10 handset. The software is designed to make it possible for employees to use their tablets and smartphones for both work and personal uses without giving up their privacy. RIM is also touting this device as being able to reduce the security risk for businesses which allow their employees to use their own devices.
BlackBerry Balance will be one of the main components of Research In Motion Limited (NASDAQ:RIMM) (TSE:RIM)’s next operating system, and it will make it possible to keep business and personal information apart by restricting company’s access to its employees’ private data, while still having access to company data on the same device. The software even makes it possible for companies to wipe out company data on an employee’s device remotely without affecting the person’s personal data.
