BlackBerry's got some Good competition
Published: 08 May 2002 13:56 BST
Good Technology has released details of its upcoming wireless products, confirming earlier reports that the communications services start-up is working on software and hardware that will allow wireless transmission of email messages.
As previously reported, the start-up's products will be targeted toward large corporations, putting it in competition with Research In Motion. The company has not formally announced its plans, but expects to issue a release this week. Details of the company's products were posted on Tuesday on its Web site.
Good Technology's chief executive, Danny Shader, said that given the size of the market, which he estimates to be as high as 15 million users, and RIM's subscription base of about 321,000, there is plenty of opportunity still left on the table.
Analysts have adjusted their expectations of this once highly promising market. While analysts believe there is still potential, their impressions of the growth curve are flattening out.
Several companies remain committed to the promise of wirelessly enabled devices, including Palm, Handspring, Microsoft, Research In Motion and now Good Technology. These companies are enhancing their products with wireless capabilities so they can be used as mobile phones, two-way email devices and organisers.
Good Technology is setting its targets at what it believes is the most lucrative market, large corporations. That is a similar cry to rival RIM, but Shader said that Good Technology is targeting the bottleneck for growth of these wireless email devices, IT managers.
Good Technology's products include software that enables messaging (GoodLink), data download from Web applications (GoodInfo) and a hardware device (Good G100). The applications can be run on numerous devices and are already being used on RIM BlackBerry devices. The Good Technology G100 device will be available this summer.
Shader said that the key advantage of Good Technology's products is that they don't need to be placed in a cradle to be synchronised. Instead, devices using Good Technology products are synchronised wirelessly.
The company has already signed up customers who have been using Good products. Among them are Silicon Valley Bank, Electronic Arts, VeriSign, Transatlantic Reinsurance and Epiphany.
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