A number of companies already allow use of non-RIM smart-phones for company email though. I know of at least one big-four consulting firm that issues iPhones instead of BBs, and an oil major that allows reading of company email on iPads. I'm sure they're not the only ones.

^This - many IT organizations are allowing (and actually distributing) iPhones.

There are quite a few companies using iPads as well (SAP for example bought 3,000+ for their sales workforce)

> I don't see anybody ditching RIM yet.

Then you haven't been reading asymco :).

This recent article includes such sentences as "During the last month alone RIM lost 1.2 million users." http://www.asymco.com/2011/10/07/3411/

Ok yes, I know, obviously a lot of people are moving away from RIM.

In the context of the article, by "anybody" I meant companies and organisations, who are working with highly sensitive and confidential information. That's the segment the phone in the article is trying to compete in. In order to move these people away from RIM, they have to build up trust though, which is a long process.