It happened so fast that it’s hardly been noticed in the media.
RIM may not even know it themselves.
The suggestion that RIM may not know about it shows complete lack of knowledge, it's obvious from the marketing over the past two years that not only do they know it, they made it happen.
As to the media not noticing... well I've seen them notice it on numerous occasions. I don't recall if I've read an entire piece based around this one subject, but I've seen it mentioned many times as a note in a piece about RIM, or about a certain phone, or whatever.
Edit: here's another example which answers both points, http://www.slate.com/id/2213555/ (Blackberry sponsoring U2 tour). Not only is that a demonstration of Blackberry targeting this new wider audience, in March 2009, it's also an example of the media noticing.
I dont think RIM has failed to notice it. In fact in countries like India RIM has launched phones that cost lowest in the smartphone segment just $200.
See for example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnysB4BC5Ng and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvYlENP50jA and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvqlZzhZb4Y and http://www.tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/media/tracyandmatts_blog...
As to the media not noticing... well I've seen them notice it on numerous occasions. I don't recall if I've read an entire piece based around this one subject, but I've seen it mentioned many times as a note in a piece about RIM, or about a certain phone, or whatever.
Edit: here's another example which answers both points, http://www.slate.com/id/2213555/ (Blackberry sponsoring U2 tour). Not only is that a demonstration of Blackberry targeting this new wider audience, in March 2009, it's also an example of the media noticing.