Research In Motion Ltd. (BBRY), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT): Cell Phone Wars: Three Ain’t Easy

Unfortunately for Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), Nokia’s Lumia has some nifty business features too. Since the Lumia uses Microsoft’s mobile OS, it is Microsoft Office friendly. Having native versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint may not seem like a big deal to non-business users, but these tools are vital assets in the corporate world. This problem only gets worse for Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY) as more manufacturers pick up Microsoft’s OS.

Survival of the Fittest

With two material threats to its core business, the BlackBerry 10 has to be a home run for the company. If not, it looks likely to be squeezed out of its core market. Unfortunately, the company launched its new phone abroad before bringing it to The United States.

While foreign markets are a stronghold for Nokia, they aren’t for Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY). This could end up being a strategic misstep from which the company can’t recover. At the very least, it risks losing the momentum from the new phone’s launch when it, finally, hits the U.S. market.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)

It looks increasingly likely that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) will crack the top three with its mobile OS. That’s a good thing for competition, since it gives handset makers two OS options. With Microsoft’s share price still at relatively depressed levels, investors can benefit too. Indeed, the mobile OS issue is part of the reason why the market is so down on the shares.

Research In Motion Ltd (NASDAQ:BBRY), unfortunately, is looking increasingly like a has been. Since the company is basically betting its survival on the new phone, most investors should sit on the sidelines until there is clear evidence of success.

The article Cell Phone Wars: Three Ain’t Easy originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Reuben Gregg Brewer.

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