RIM and Microsoft join forces to compete with iPhone, Droid

RIM and Microsoft are partnering to make for a pretty impressive alliance. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer made a surprise keynote speech Tuesday at the BlackBerry World expo in Orlando and announced that the company will integrate its Bing search and map program at the device operating system level. Ballmer says they’re “going to invest uniquely into the BlackBerry platform,” according to reports on PC World.

RIM used the expo to announce new BlackBerry phones, a new OS, and some other fancy features to gear the smartphone hype away from Apple and Android phones back to the original. The much-hyped Microsoft Windows Phone 7 smartphone has been a little less than exciting for avid smartphone users, so the alliance is hoping to create a greater force to compete with the likes of the iPhone and Droid phones.

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According to PC World:

"The integration will allow RIM to focus on its core competencies, rather than developing search and map features--or sending its users over to Google, which builds the Android platform.

"For Microsoft, the deal represents one more platform for Bing to live on. Earlier this year, Microsoft struck a deal with Nokia, which includes a set of phones developed in partnership and due to ship in 2012."

While it seems like a smart move for Microsoft and RIM to buddy up to improve its smartphone market, there’s a reason why iPhones and Droid smartphones have been the dominating forces in the industry. It comes down to usability and aesthetics, and we’re not quite sure that the alliance will ever be able to break through above its competitors.