That’s the problem (haven’t seen this analysis in our media’s coverage of the debacle):
A Boggle of BlackBerrys
…the current line is a jumble of models. There are BlackBerrys that flip, BlackBerrys that slide, BlackBerrys with touch screens, BlackBerrys with touch screens and keyboards, BlackBerrys with full keyboards, BlackBerrys with compact keyboards, high-end BlackBerrys and low-priced models.
Features have proliferated on BlackBerrys as part of RIM’s move to the broader consumer market, and so have the number of models. Since 2007, RIM has introduced 37 models. The company, in a statement, said it did not know how many models were on the market.
Adding to the shopping confusion are RIM’s product names, which generally rely on four-digit model numbers and sometimes have different products sharing a name. The BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860 are touch-screen phones that are on some shelves next to the BlackBerry Torch 9800 and 9810, touch-screen phones with slide-out keyboards. (The model number differences reflect models adapted for different cellphone systems.)
By contrast, Apple has introduced only four iPhones since 2008 and all were basically the same phone with differences in the amount of storage, or upgrades from older models…
The End Is Nigh
I recently activated a non Blackberry, ‘android smart phone’. I am currently thinking of using it for a hockey puck because it certainly isn’t any good as a phone.
It reminds me of the old Swiss Army Knife. The contraption with so many contraptions attached that none of the contraptions including the original contraption work.
Shareholders needs to kick executive ass at RIM and then it will be fine. Yes clear out a tonne of the consumer crap and get back to basics please. People that wanna whack off digitally will buy iphones anyway and are not representative of the business base .. and it’s self evident that catering to them hasn’t worked out well.
QNX is good enough for embedded military systems, it’s probably gonna do the job on cell phones. If they abandon QNX and go with android RIM will be toast.
They still sold 14 million phones last quarter and are sitting on 1.5 billion in cash. It’s not quite game over yet.
So too many models is RIM’s problem? Hmmm…then we should expect Samsung to take a nose dive pretty soon as well. They have full touch, QWERTY, flip, sliders and tablets.(http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung-phones-9.php).
The same people that loudly complain that RIM is doing A instead of B are the same ones that would complain even louder if RIM were doing B instead of A. Seriously, if RIM had one model like Apple does, then the press would be all over them for not having a diverse enough selection.
To hijack an old acronym, ITOSS — It’s The Operating System, Stupid.
That’s what’s holding Blackberry back. Trash it, start fresh, and let the hardware work to it’s full potential. That goes for the smart phones, the business phones, and even the tablet.
Pare down the line. Make one phone that can compete with the IPhone and Galaxy. Make another phone for business users. Make a third for business users in rugged environments. Then stop and concentrate on making those three things kick ass.
There, Balsillie. I just fixed your company.
Ack. I can’t believe I used ‘it’s’ instead of ‘its’. A thousand apologies.
which models did the drunken air canada ex rims have on them?
butterfly effect coming in !!!
Then there is the President’s Model … the BlackBarry.
They only sold one of those.
Shed tears for the suckers who bought RIM at $60/share and failed to bail out soon enough.
All they need to do is make a tablet that runs the available apps like Angry Birds and Netflix, because that’s what people use tablets for. The Playbook is a nice machine, but there’s no path for guys to port their apps to it and there needs to be.
The phones work fine for people who need secure e-mail and need a keyboard. The people who want a toy are going to buy the Apple or Android. Nice toys for sure, but pretty near impossible to secure.
Uh, YK, you used “it’s” properly the first time.
Marco, both my teenage daughters upgraded from Android smart phones to Blackberries in the last two months, and they are perfectly happy with them. So please forgive me if I don’t show proper respect to your omniscience, and prefer RIM’s real, actual consumer research.
However, I do agree with the article re: naming and product proliferation. I worked in technology marketing for a number of years, and one of my rules for naming products was no numbers unless you followed a specific and simple scheme. Look at Apple – they’re at OS-10 now. Then look at M$ – Windows, Windows 3.1 (was there ever a Windows 2.0?), Windows 95, Windows 2000, Windows Millennium, Windows XP, and now Windows 7 (which I personally approve of, assuming the next iteration is Windows 8; if not, then they’re just repeating the mistake). Is a Blackberry Torch better than a Curve or a Pearl? Who has the time or the inclination to keep up?
Again, I look at Apple, and their iPads. You can get the ipad 1 or 2, and then you can dress either one up with more memory, different wireless configurations, etc. They might have as many different configs out in the field as RIM has phones, but there’s far less confusion in the consumer’s mind. RIM should have one biz phone, one consumer phone, and a few options, and let people pick what they want with far less confusion.
“Ack. I can’t believe I used ‘it’s’ instead of ‘its’. A thousand apologies.
Posted by: Yukon Gold”
Ack, that’s the sort of pedanticism, up with which we will not put! 🙂
RIM’s problem isn’t having too many models. Their problem is that staying ahead of the competition forever is essentially impossible in the tech and telecom industry.
They had a great run where they were essentially the only option for a business or government to offer its employees secure and reliable e-mail on mobile devices. Being the only viable option they were able to charge high prices and earn great profits.
It was always inevitable that viable options would emerge – and now they have in iPhones and Androids.
The mobile device market will never be the same again, regardless of who tries to manage RIM.
Then there is the President’s Model … the BlackBarry
Just a thought here, as with everything else “The One” has put his support behind, is RIM suffering from the Obama kiss of death?
I just think Google Earth on an Iphone is the neatest technology going. Yeah, I was impressed.
KevinB: that was my first reaction, until I noticed the second one further down (“it’s full potential”). Also, Win8 is the next iteration. There’s a beta candidate out already.
The only problems facing RIM are dead-slow reactions to market conditions, poor PR, making promises they don’t keep, and management that doesn’t seem to know how to fix these things. IMO.
FWIW, I have a Samsung Android, and I like it. I also have no particular desire to see RIM fail.
Re: Joe’s comment:
“I recently activated a non Blackberry, ‘android smart phone’. I am currently thinking of using it for a hockey puck because it certainly isn’t any good as a phone.
It reminds me of the old Swiss Army Knife. The contraption with so many contraptions attached that none of the contraptions including the original contraption work.”
A perfect metaphor for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. Any AIO (All_In_One) device is bound to be riddled with compromises and incapable of doing any one thing well. A craftsman will select a tool specific to the task at hand.
Crescent wrenches and pliers might be OK in a pinch, but will likely mangle both the task and concurrently your brain.
“A perfect metaphor for the F35 Joint Strike Fighter.”
ha ha ha !!! woot !!!
it’s a wonder the comment wasnt censored, these SDAers refuse to accept the 35 is the nothing that tries to be everything by tacking on another 50 million in upgrades.
On a more optomistic note, in keeping with the dire times, Rim Executives took a pay cut of $1.
Shareholders better get a grip on thi exec quickly and sack them or find a buyer.