Australian airline Qantas os dumping RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones in favor of Apple’s iPhone. The transition to the iPhone will see 1,300 BlackBerrys put out to pasture, and Qantas expects to save money after making the move.
Qantas drops BlackBerry for iPhone
“Transition from the BlackBerry to the iPhone is part of Qantas’ broader mobility strategy and, once complete, will result in significant cost savings,” a Qantas spokesperson told the Sydney Morning Herald.
The airline will also support employee provided Android-based phones, but will provide iPhones as standard gear.
The move is yet another blow to RIM as the once reigning king of the smartphone market continues its downward spiral. The company has been trying unsuccessfully to compete with Apple’s iPhone and smartphones running Google’s Android OS, yet can’t seem to bounce back to regain its former glory.
Rumors surfaced in June that RIM was planning on splitting into two companies, much like Palm did in its final days before being bought by HP. Amazon and Facebook were both said to be in the running to buy RIM’s hardware business, but so far nothing has come of those rumors.
Anonymous sources said the rumors amounted to “a silly fantasy.”
What isn’t a fantasy, however, is the Qantas decision to walk away from BlackBerry smartphones and into the iPhone camp — a move that can’t help RIM and its hopes of recovery.