RIM’s corporate customers are preparing for switch to IOS or Android

CORPORATE CUSTOMERS of Research in Motion (RIM) are preparing for the switch to IOS and Android, Bloomberg reports, as things continue to worsen for the Blackberry maker.

Speaking to the US publication, RIM corporate customers including Thames River Capital and Nationwide admitted that their companies are preparing contingency plans in case the worst happens and the companies lose their Blackberry services.

This follows RIM's latest earnings call where the firm announced a loss of $518m and revealed that Blackberry 10 will be delayed until 2013. This has caused analysts to predict the worst, that the phone maker might soon go out of business.

At present, Thames River Capital supplies 140 of its 170 employees with smartphones, most of which are Blackberry handsets, but it has told the US news web site that it is preparing for staff to switch to either IOS or Android in case RIM is acquired or moves out of the smartphone market.

Robert Burkhart, director of new technology innovation at Nationwide also told Bloomberg that his company was mulling the switch.

"We are well on our way to having a dual environment, so if RIM did go out, we'd be okay," he said. "If people are starting contingency plans now, they are behind the eight ball. They should have been looking at this all along."

RIM was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. µ