SleepyEgg

Research In Motion rose to prominence (and domination of the smartphone market) by controlling both the hardware and software used in its phones, but the company now finds itself behind Apple's iPhone and Google's Android mobile operating system. Looking up at its competitors, RIM sees two models: Apple's, which is very much like its own, and Google's, which licenses the Android software to a variety of hardware makers.

RIM has been in turmoil as of late, losing 75 percent of its stock value in the past year. The company also suffered market share losses, an embarrassing service outage, disappointing sales of its PlayBook tablet, delays in bringing out new software, and rumors that it's an acquisition target. While RIM seems unlikely to ever regain its top position in the smartphone market, some observers have argued that licensing BlackBerry software could help it maintain relevance.