In the halls of power, you’re more likely to see an iPad or an iPhone, as U.S. federal agencies toss BlackBerries aside for Apple technology. Could President Obama get an iPhone next?
President Obama, often seen with a BlackBerry in hand, is now an iPad fan. The Apple tablet “has been seen on his desk and under his arm,” the Washington Post writes. In another instance, ATF investigators view video surveillance using an iPad. (The ATF has 50 iPads and iPhone with promises of 100 eventually.)
The new policy, nicknamed ‘federal government 2.0’ is a departure from what the newspaper describes as “a ‘Little House on the Prairie’ pace” of changes. Indeed, you’re likely to get a government email that was sent through Google’s free Gmail service instead of an antiquated system.
Elsewhere, the U.S. State Department is testing iPad use and the U.S. Congress already permits iPads and iPhones on the floor. Clinicians at the Department of Veteran Affairs can use an iPad or an iPhone rather than forced to turn to a BlackBerry, the report adds.
All of this spells trouble for BlackBerry-maker Research in Motion. Long regarded as the defacto device when security mattered, Apple devices are making deep inroads into the once secure territory. The key is the federal government, like elsewhere, wants to keep employees happy. Being able to use your consumer device at work results in happier workers.
Another factor is the lack of BlackBerry apps compared to Apple or Android, coupled with the Canadian-based company’s failure to gain much traction in the tablet arena. Add that to a recent Reuters report RIM investors care calling for the ouster of the company’s co-CEOs and you have the making of another depressing month ahead for BlackBerry fans.
