BlackBerry widens lead on iPhone in business

Regardless of Apple's plans to add business features to the iPhone, Research in Motion is and will continue to extend its lead in business phones, according to a new ChangeWave study. An examination of more than 2,000 corporate IT spenders has about 76 percent of all businesses opting for BlackBerries in May, up three percent from the last time the study took place in February; Palm was second place at 17 percent with other competitors filing in the remaining seven percent.

The situation changes with anticipated summer purchases but still extends the BlackBerry's lead. Demand for Canadian smartphones has jumped five percent to 82 percent; the iPhone is continuing to build momentum and is a planned purchase for the businesses of as many as 13 percent of respondents, up two percent from a study three months earlier. Palm is continuing to languish in the high-end space and remains flat in demand at just 8 percent of the group.

All three companies are readying major smartphone updates in the summer, with Apple launching a 3G-capable iPhone as well as Microsoft Exchange support to all models, RIM launching its announced BlackBerry Bold, and Palm planning at least the Treo 800w for Sprint and Verizon in the US.