CEO Heins, Chairperson Stymiest Reiterate Their Belief in RIMs Strategy
Email
Print
He said BlackBerry 10 would offer users a
better product not only for the enterprise, but also for consumers. The first
BlackBerry 10 phones will offer full touch-screen capabilities similar to other
smartphones, though other devices with the traditional QWERTY keyboard will
soon follow. In addition, Heins touted BlackBerry Balance, a technology that
enables the phones to be used to access both personal and corporate data.
Heins also talked about how developers are
embracing the platformRIM this month announced the 3 billionth download from
the BlackBerry App World storeand the decision to open it up to third-party
applications, an important factor when talking about the smartphone space. At
the same time, he said, some partners that he had spoken with are actually
pleased that the release date had been pushed back to early 2013, saying it
will coincide with more Long-Term Evolution (LTE) 4G networks coming online.
He reiterated that the reason for the delay
was the vast amount of new software code going into the platform. It is taking
more time than expected to get everything set, Heins said. What consumers and
businesses will get is a platform that will offer vast improvements over whats
on the market now, he said.
It also will give wireless network providers
another alternative to offer beyond iOS and Android, Heins said.
He noted that despite the problems from the
last quarter, RIM still has $2.2 billion in cash and no debt, and its plan to
cut $1 billion in expenses this yearnot only through the layoffs, but also
with such moves as reducing the number of manufacturing sites from 10 to three
and selling a corporate jetwill give it more financial flexibility.
Analysts are less optimistic about RIMs
chances, with many noting that when BlackBerry 10 does arrive, it will come at
a time when Apple is gearing up or iOS 6, Google is readying Android 4.1 Jelly
Bean and Nokia is rolling out Windows-based devices.
The delay of the first BlackBerry 10
smartphones, however, is the death blow, Michael Finneran, president of dBrn
Associates and an analyst, said in a blog
post June 29. RIM's product line is simply not competitive. Even at its
best, BlackBerry 10 would have challenges, as the initial devices were to be
the first RIM smartphones without a keyboard, one of the features that had kept
many of the remaining RIM fans loyal. With Apple poised to introduce the iPhone
5 later this year and an ongoing torrent of Android devices pouring onto the
market, this is the worst of all failings.
