Leaping to Smartphone Dominance
In the early 2000s, mobile phones that could access data services started gaining steam. RIM entered this burgeoning smartphone market in 2002 with the 5810.
The 5810 stood out for bundling email, web browsing, enterprise apps and phone capabilities in a compact, Qwerty-sporting device. It also pioneered the side scrolling wheel for quick navigation in the absence of touch screens.
Over the next several years, BlackBerry cemented itself as the smartphone brand of choice by appealing to business users. Its hallmarks – seamless email, robust physical keyboards, BBM messaging – increased productivity for professionals on the go.