“It’s already a cold day for BlackBerry as the company continues to reshuffle its ranks,” Kwame Opam reports for The Verge.
“The company announced this morning that BlackBerry COO Kristian Tear and CMO Frank Boulben are both set to leave the company, while financial chief Brian Bidulka will be replaced,” Opam reports. “The embattled BlackBerry is now tasked with finding a new direction for its floundering handset business, with a new CEO at the helm and $1 billion in funding from its investors. ”
Opam reports, “Interim CEO John S. Chen seems intent on righting the sinking ship, and is cleaning house in the process.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: John S. Chen ought to just sign the Do Not Resuscitate order and be done with it.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
Get that ship pointed in the right direction.
Those getting off the ship now should be grateful before it sinks altogether. There’s already a deep gash on the side and we all know how well those so-called “watertight” compartments actually work.
Awww, MDN, you’re just nervous that all those years of “DCW” might be rendered null and void!
🙂
The Little Big Horn.
It’s a fun game of “Who will be last holding the dirty bag”
Blackberry (formally RIM) was so invested in one offering that they had nothing else to lean on. Apple’s rebound came about by focusing on an entirely different product (iPod) after some initial reclaiming of their respect in the marketplace by the launch of the original iMac. What does Blackberry need to do in order to patch the holes in their sinking ship. Think outside the box!
“… after some initial reclaiming of their respect in the marketplace by the launch of the original iMac.”
Thank you for mentioning the iMac. I really think that history will give the iMac far more importance in the resurgence of Apple. The iMac is generally overlooked by the iPod, but I don’t think that it should be. It was a key component in allowing the iPod to work its magic.
Sort of like how in the ’30s, RKO was able to revive itself with ‘Top Hat’, but only because ‘King Kong’ gave them the money to do so.
It’s way to late for that question. The question now is how can they liquidate the company to maximize shareholder value, i.e. take the company private as it shuts down or tries to find some niche to fill. I’m afraid it’s just too late for BBM to have any relevance in the future of mobile. Big companies are leaving, consumers no longer consider them, telecom don’t market them. They are done and know it. I do believe Blackberry will be spoken of as it makes for a great educational business class of how a giant fails. The words “change before you have to” ring true here.
BlackBerry TV?
Let’s start a pool – month and year Blackberry finally goes belly up.
I’m taking August 2014.
Seems obvious to me that they should start making a berry flavoured liqueur. Instant Brand recognition.
The sort of folks who remain dedicated buyers of fax machines and typewriters will still enjoy using blackberry.
Actually, John Chen sounds like someone who really knows what he is talking about. There is zero chance he is getting the back the blackberry glory days, but I think he has a shot at saving the company.
Agree. They will survive and re-assume their rightful place which OS security and productivity. We are a stone’s throw away from far greater security concerns than what the recent NAS events represented. Now that Apple and Google have become extremely relevant in the mobile space I wonder if they will replace MSFT as the target of choice for an all attack by the likes of Anonymous and others. Remember that OSX users would consider themselves immune to viruses and the likes as they were simply irrelevant as compared to MSFT. The tables have turned whereby OSX is still a tiny player in the PC space but iOS and Android are certainly a juicy target.
On a separate note, just test drove a Surface Pro 2 and I had my iPad Air with me and all I can say is damn that Surface is sweet!
Rubbish.
BB10 is by far very superior to iOS and Apple would own a far greater marketshare if they purchased BB and keep all the good parts which are quite substantial. I can safely say that I use bth a BB Q10 and a iPhone 5S and the BB simply blows the doors off the iPhone when it comes to multi-tasking and all this without the need for a silly home button. BES10 is top shelf as is BB10. I see Apple taking these assets and taking on Google like they have never done before.
Not bloody likely. Your website says that would be based on a rate of four BJ’s per hour at $21 apiece.
Why should they return the money to the shareholders? That’s hardly the ‘capitalist spirit’ we hear Wall Street spouting so glibly; let them sell their shares in the unregulated market they’re so protective of. Give the remaining talent at Blackberry a shot at innovating something new; if it doesn’t pan out-well that’s the risk that the shareholders undertook when they bought Blackberry shares. I’m sick of hearing Wall Street getting their losses covered and not sharing the upside.