Scheduled e-mail delivery also uses power by forcing the system to check for e-mails even when no new messages have arrived at the server.

In contrast, push technology wakes the device up with the arrival of the e-mail.

As far as real time goes, however, some industry analysts such as Ken Dulaney, senior mobile analyst at Gartner, claims if a corporate user can get an e-mail within 15 minutes of it being sent, the difference between real push and simulated push is negligible.

"Once e-mail uses a more or less a delivery-activated system as opposed to a periodic check, RIM will no longer have a major advantage," Dulaney said.

Those in the financial services industry might disagree with that assessment.