RIM reacts to Steve Jobs: 7 inch tablets that run Flash will be the real web experience
Smaller and better
Research In Motion, the company behind the BlackBerry smartphones, got a real kicking from Apple CEO Steve Jobs yesterday.
Not only did he say he didn't think it would be able to match Apple in terms of future smartphone sales, he also poured scorn on the functionality and future success of 7 inch tablets - much like RIM's PlayBook device, due in 2011.
Counter attackJim Balsillie, RIM's co-CEO certainly hasn't taken the situation lying down though. He's hit back hard.
In a statement entitled RIM Responds to Apple's 'Distortion Field', he states, "7 inch tablets will be a big portion of the market." As well as RIM, companies such as Samsung and Dell are planning such devices.
More significantly though, he points out that Jobs' long held hatred of Adobe's Flash technology is a limiting factor for iPad users.
"We know that Adobe Flash support actually matters to customers who want a real web experience," says Balsillie.
"We also know that while Apple's attempt to control the ecosystem and maintain a closed platform may be good for Apple, developers want more options and customers want to fully access the overwhelming majority of web sites that use Flash.
[source: RIM]
