HSBC backs off claim of iPhone switch

Brenton Hush, HSBC CIO for Australia and New Zealand, made comments last week suggesting his company was considering a global switch from Blackberry to iPhone devices. A UK representative countered those claims this week, saying "I don't know if he was miss quoted or if it was made up, but I can put the rumors to bed now and state there is no truth in it at all" according to an interview with Mobile News.

An HSBC manager of group communications for Australia shed more light on the situation amongst the confusion, saying "We always explore the potential application of new technologies and this is no different." Most corporations, especially of this size, try to keep those discussions behind closed doors.

HSBC has stepped back from the original statements, but without completely denying the possibility. Information leaks like this can have a negative impact on the objectivity of the decision making. Future relationships between the parties can also be strained when a large account with one company, such as the 200,000 devices in question, is rumored to be dropped and then replaced with a record size account from their competitor, even if it never happens.

If HSBC changes from the RIM Blackberry device to Apple's iPhone, this could be the beginning of a significant shift in market share for both companies. Presence of the iPhone in the corporate markets is just beginning, but it offers many features that might make it a fierce competitor in both worlds. RIM, on the other hand, has dominated the corporate environment but just recently began marketing its products to consumers.