The competition in the corporate mobile phone market is heating up - what with mobile technology biggies announcing extraordinary moves, essentially with the aim of challenging the dominant position of Research-In-Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones in terms of their popularity among US business users!

In a recently-announced alliance, former rivals Microsoft and Nokia intend bringing Microsoft's Office Mobile suite of software on the Nokia smartphones. Moreover, the two companies also plan to unveil features like tight security and sync with other devices, looking to make it more economical for corporations to support smartphones for employees. Nokia's business-users-specific E-series of phones will be the first to feature the new additions in 2010.

In yet another move, Google and partners - including handset maker Motorola - intend announcing new devices and features, later this year, to cater particularly to the needs of the corporate users of mobile phones.

While the Nokia-Microsoft alliance and the Google move are chiefly aimed at RIM, the US market-leader in smartphones for businesses; it will also work as a defense mechanism to offset an increasing threat from Apple and Palm.

Reiterating that Nokia's partnership with Microsoft is targeted at RIM, Robert Andersson - the Executive VP for devices at Nokia - said: "BlackBerry and RIM have taken a very prominent place in the market based on e-mail. What we are offering is way beyond e-mail."