Wireless data does not necessarily mean wireless email

Many in the wireless industry confound wireless data and wireless email. While wireless email is currently the most visible wireless data application, this will not be so in the future. RIM has just announced a version of their BlackBerry Enterprise Server that does not support email, only wireless data applications.

As Richard Martin in UnStrung describes it:

As companies look for ways to roll out more enterprise applications to mobile workers, many assume that any new apps will run on a device primarily intended for mobile email, such as a BlackBerry or a Treo.

Now, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM)  (Nasdaq: RIMM -  message board; Toronto: RIM) says it will deconstruct that equation with the release this fall of a new version of its BlackBerry Enterprise Server that will enable companies to provide mobile applications to BlackBerry devices that don't necessarily have a corporate email account. (See RIM's Unified Theory.)

WIreless email is important to mobile knowledge workers. It is highly horizontal and adaptive, well suited to workers whose tasks and concerns are constantly changing. Wireless email is neutral and adaptable.

For many mobile workers, however, you do not want neutral and adaptable communication. These workers -- doing repair, inspection, crew supervision, delivery, and so on -- do the same kind of tasks over and and over. For their communication you want something structured and managed. You want to make sure, for example, that every field of the form is filled out and filled out correctly. The whole value proposition is based on reducing the cost of business transaction data collection.

For these workers wireless email is a very poor approach:

• There is lots of extra typing and noise words -- composing an email instead of just checking a box that says "work complete"
• Email does not ensure that all fields are supplied and filled out correctly,
• A human in the office is required to parse the message and enter the proper data into office software.

Many wireless-enabled mobile workers, perhaps most, will not be wireless email users. It is good that RIM is recognizing to see this.