RIM’s CEO, Jim Balsillie, down played the importance of apps, stating “you don’t have to make the web an app.” Given the history of competition between RIM and Apple — and how Apple has far greater control on the mobile apps market than RIM — it’s not surprising that Balsillie made such a statement. Clearly RIM wants to take an opposing stance to where Apple is. But, come on, Jim. Let’s not kid ourselves. Do you really expect people to believe that the browser has been RIM’s strategy all along?

BlackBerry didn’t come up with a decent browser until OS 6. The first handset to have this OS is the Torch which came out only in August 2010. Most BlackBerry handsets currently in the market can’t be upgraded to OS 6. There are third-party browsers on the BlackBerry, namely Opera Mini and Bolt. Both of them are slow and buggy. None of them can match the user experience of mobile Safari. On the other hand, the iPhone has had the mobile Safari browser since 2007.

If you really believe open platform and mobile web is the better solution, then prove it with action, not words.

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