Although an axe hangs over Research in Motion, in the form of an injunction which would prevent it from selling its Blackberry handheld, the pager vendor continues to strengthen its software lifeline.

Following PalmSource's update last week to deliver a RIM-based email for PalmOS devices by the second half of next year, handset vendor Sony Ericsson has signed up for RIM's 'Blackberry Connect' licensing program. Nokia, Symbian and Microsoft are already licensees. Contract handset manufacturer HTC also has a partnership with RIM to support the email service on Microsoft smartphones, and RIM has a two-year old cross-licensing agreement with Motorola.

So although software only accounts for nine per cent of RIM's revenue - the company reported profits of $16.3 million on quarterly revenues of $153.9 million yesterday - it has at least cemented partnerships with the leading players.

Ericsson, co-owner with Sony of the handset company, licensed its GSM, GPRS and CDMA patents to RIM in June last year. ®

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