“Struggling BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. said Thursday that it will cede most consumer markets after failing to compete with flashier touch-screen phones such as Apple’s iPhone and models that run Google’s Android software,” Rob Gillies reports for The Associated Press. “Instead, RIM said it will return to its roots and focus on business customers.”
“RIM has had limited success trying to enter consumer markets in recent years, and RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said a turnaround required ‘substantial change,'” Gillies reports. “‘We plan to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalize on our leading position in this segment,’ Heins said.”
Gillies reports, “RIM has sought to expand its appeal to consumers, but it has had trouble because the phones aren’t perceived to be as sexy as its chief competitors. RIM has been counting on improvements with its forthcoming BlackBerry 10 system, but that has faced multiple delays. BlackBerrys also lag iPhones or Android phones when it comes to running third-party applications. For that reason, BlackBerrys are even losing ground in the business world, as employees demand iPhones or Android devices over BlackBerrys.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: By the time they figured out what hit them, they were already dead.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Nicholas C.,” “Trey W.,” and “Brawndo Drinker” for the heads up.]
Related articles:
Beleaguered RIM misses badly on revenue, EPS, unit shipments; Former half-CEO Balsillie resigns; CTO, COO also out – March 29, 2012
Beleaguered RIM looking for developer to ‘create exciting iOS enterprise apps’ for Apple iPhone, iPad – March 22, 2012
Beleaguered RIM BlackBerry loses top spot to Apple’s iPhone in Canada – March 22, 2012
Beleaguered RIM names new CEO; half-CEOs step down amid struggle to answer Apple – January 22, 2012
“Sleeping at the wheel” is never a legitimate excuse for crashing the car.
Well said grasshopper.
If you think “sexy” is the reason RIM is in the dumps…wow.
Isn’t that crazy. It’s such a nonsensical statement. People don’t buy phones because of perceived sexiness. It’s like how people used to say we bought Macs because of the marketing. Funny how no one is saying that anymore.
Blackberry actually has a very good brand opportunity. Too bad the arrogance of their former leadership ruined things. Narrowing their focus is a good strategy, but they also need to be aware that Apple’s influence from the consumer angle is having a significant impact on corporate purchases, so good luck with their new plan.
“had” a good opportunity. Then they squandered it.
Focusing on the corporate market now is far too late. Even corporate users don’t want to carry two devices, and see no reason why they should limit their mobile devices to something that only does email and web browsing but not apps. Many corporations even have their own apps or are relying on third party apps for communication and to get work done, so Blackberry will once again be behind.
This is a horrible strategy for RIM at this time.
” we’re gonna return to focus on our strength ” ???
What is their strength ? Enterprise ? , not any more ,
iPhone made major inroads in that area , more and more
Companies are giving their employees a choice between the two , why in the world would you choose RIM is beyond
Me !!!!!
Not bad looking devices , but just not as versatile …
A no brainier !!!!!!
@Joe
Which goverments, military organisations and regulated companies are giving employees a choice of mobile device? That is what RIM means by returning to its roots. Locking things down is one thing that RIM are very good at.
This heralds the official end of RIM. Phones used in business are no longer specialty products where only high end professionals demanded the features such as email, consumers now demand this. The gap between the features on consumer phones and business phones has closed, I give them 3 years before they have nothing left of the business to sell in order to keep afloat followed by death.
Wow. That’s like Ford saying “We’re going to refocus on what made us a success and capitalize on our leading position as the working man’s car … our wonderful Model T”.
There truly is a little green worm-a-winding around the RIM, apparently chewing holes in CEO brains as it goes.
RIM actually believes iPhone success is because it looks good? Nice to know RIM leadership has not changed mentality. 🙂
Seems strange considering all the more forward thinking business people I know are jumping ship while the only large scale market segment I see with blackberries are teenage girls instant messaging on buses.
Absolutely 100% correct there/ My daughter and all her friends dropped their iPhones for Blackberries.
I gave up…..(rolls his eyes)
Dead man walking. Bye, bye RIM
OK, how many quarters do you think RIM has left b4 filing for bankruptcy or complete sale of assets.
My guess – 12
Read another article about this that had the following statement:
Touch-screen models that lack physical keyboards have largely flopped.
Yeah, so 37 million iPhones sold means a big flop. Right. Media douches.
They just forgot to include the word “Blackberry” in front of that sentence.
Can you post a link? That will be one to file next to the bloke from Decca Records who turned down the Beatles because he thought that guitar bands were on the way out.
“We plan to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalize on our leading position in this segment.”
Translation = We’re praying Microsoft buys us before our cash runs out.
Oh no, what will all the teenage girls obsessed with BBM do now? Oh yeah, they’ll use iMessage.
“MacDailyNews Take: By the time they figured out what hit them, they were already dead.”
“‘We plan to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalize on our leading position in this segment,’
I don’t think they figured it out yet.