The Channel Wire

June 23, 2008

Smartphones, once aimed at the enterprise, have now become integral to 31 percent of small businesses in the United States, according to a study by Access Markets International (AMI) Partners. And 20 percent of SMBs that use smartphones intend to buy new smartphones in the next 12 months, according the AMI study.

For SMBs that don't yet use smartphones, 11 percent intend to purchase one. Data reveals that the BlackBerry is the number one type of smartphone used by SMBs, followed by Palm smartphones.

SMBs value smartphone functions such as instant access to e-mail, business calendars and contacts. According to the study, 84 percent of Blackberry owners and 68 percent of Palm owners use their smartphone to access email, while 65 percent of Blackberry owners and 75 percent of Palm owners access their calendar and contact information as they are 'on the go.'

"Small business owners are realizing the necessity to stay connected," says New York-based AMI-Partners Research Analyst Yedda Chew in a statement Monday. "And with the ease of smartphones like Palm Centro or the Blackberry Pearl/Curve, these low-cost solutions are providing SBs a seamless connection between business owners and their customers and employees anytime and from anywhere. What's more, with 13 percent of the SB workforce being mobile, staying connected is crucial for the owner to stay abreast of his/her everyday work activities."

But now that the Apple iPhone is adding business apps, will SMBs be lured away from BlackBerrys and Palms? Stay tuned.