Good bad starts …
In 1984, entrepreneur Mike Lazaridis founded Research in Motion in the Canadian city of Waterloo. Lazaridis later recalled that the inspiration for the name of the article was part of a sports store in which appeared the words poetry in motion (poetry in motion). RIM did not, however, have nothing to do with sports, or also with poetry. The company had to change the world – the world of new technologies.
first successes Lazaridis have to wait until 1998, when RIM in collaboration with RAM Mobile Data and – the shining triumphs – Ericsson created the ancestor of today’s smartphones – Inter @ ctive Pager 950 Enabled device to send and receive messages through a wireless Mobitex network. Just a year later, the world learned the first device in the family BlackBerry – BlackBerry pager 850 The device name referred to the shape of the keys, which, according to its creator Lexicon Branding, reminiscent of blackberry fruit pieces (called blackberry). Other models – 950 and 957 cemented RIM’s position in the market, but the real “Blackberry revolution” had to wait for another three years.
glory years “CrackBerry”, Obama and 70 million visitors
BlackBerry
Era begins in March 2002 when the market debuts BlackBerry 5810, RIM’s first device working with GMS and GPRS networks. It is true that the phone functions are quite limited (the caller had a special connect the headset to make a voice call), but again with 6710 models improved the minor inconvenience by offering built-in speaker and microphone. Then went over the hill – new models of BlackBerry devices expanded capabilities with new features, and already in 2003, the first smartphone with a color display of the 7000 series. BlackBerry 8700, which appeared on the market in 2005, to this day is considered one of the best phones RIM – lustrous design, spacious keyboard and plenty of multimedia features.
Despite rapid development, the company has remained true to its traditions. Immutable were also key features of the BlackBerry. First of all – comfortable QWERTY keyboard, which allowed easy communication text. Second – using their own push e-mail. RIM was one of the few companies provided services to all e-mail accounts without the use of applications and third-party servers. Thirdly – the characteristic appearance of the device, which immediately Loved by millions of users.
These features, well-established position in the market and – what can I say – a stroke of luck meant that at some point in the United States exploded a true “blackberry revolution”. BlackBerry smartphones have entered the political salons and into the business world, to then move on to the streets of American cities. At some point, the popularity of mobile devices RIM has been so great that in everyday language the Americans prevailed, the term “CrackBerry”, referring to persons addicted to the use of RIM devices. Big fan of “blackberry” smartphones is the current president of the United States, Barack Obama. From his BlackBerry he used even during the presidential campaign in 2008, despite objections from the Secret Service agents who suggested to him the use of special “resistant to eavesdropping” devices. Another fan of the BlackBerry was also Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google, who although he was at the dis posal of dozens of devices operating on Android, it’s definitely more spacious keyboard valued the “Blackberries”.
wave of popularity of the BlackBerry brand, in 2006 and 2007 appeared the next flagship device. First of smartphones, Pearl broke with the existing aesthetics of the BlackBerry. He had a more elongated shape and did not have a QWERTY keyboard. The novelty was also a built-in camera. Curve and Bold smartphones were based instead on the classic “blackberry” and ideally hit a chord with fans of the traditional brand. All three were quite successful and strengthened the position of RIM’s U.S. smartphone market leader. Then appeared on the horizon of Steve Jobs and his …
“For two decades, RIM often exhibit traits giddy start-up truck. The company had nothing to lose and was willing to change for your small business model, if only to stay afloat. What’s more, she is also a strong determination to wireless data was available for the general public. It gave RIM a huge advantage over contemporary giants such as Apple, Microsoft and Palm. These companies do not understand the value of what lies behind the modern mobile communication “- Jon Fingas, Engadget
… iPhone – “BlackBerry Killer”
say that the iPhone immediately swept BlackBerry mobile market would be quite a corruption of. Apple’s device debuted in 2007, yet just three years later, in October 2010, RIM smartphones remain the market leader in the U.S., with 40.1% of the shares. This does not change the fact that in 2007, for the first time BlackBerry has gained a worthy rival, and Lazaridis becoming more closely watched for further market expansion of Apple.
The success of iPhone touch
prompted RIM to give up “the logo” BlackBerry – ergonomic QWERTY keyboard. In 2008, the market appeared BlackBerry Storm – RIM’s first smartphone with touch screen and virtual keyboard. The smartphone is selling well, but he was criticized by reviewers and users themselves, who complained about the uncomfortable handling for a very stable OS. Another blow to RIM was the premiere of the iPhone 3G. In autumn 2008, Apple for the first time overtook RIM in terms of the number of sold smartphones. Cupertino giant sold the 6.9 million iPhones 3G, while BlackBerry smartphones were “only” 6.1 million customers.
house of cards
CEO of RIM Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie had no doubt, to keep up the market space, RIM needed change. The first step towards modernity was the QNX operating system, which was to challenge those iOS and for Android. QNX debuted in 2011 with the first in the history of RIM’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Unfortunately, in this case, the pursuit of new products and a desire to lead the market completely lost their Canadian rivals. Playbook device was underdeveloped. As a new operating system and prepared for the applications. During the first nine months of release sold only 900,000 copies of the device. PlayBookowi not help even a drastic reduction in prices – Consumers sentenced him to fail.
But it was only the beginning of troubles RIM. The summer of 2011 released more than 2,000 employees. In September of the same year there was a major breakdown of the BlackBerry Internet Service, which for a few days “grounded” millions of users “Brambleblade”. To make matters worse, the failure occurred at a time where the market debut the new iPhone 4S. It was connected with considerable concerns about the exodus of RIM’s smartphone users. One major disappointment was the constant shifting launch new BlackBerry 10 system based on the QNX platform. Initially, it had its debut in December 2011. Finally appeared on the market over a year later.
2012 years did not improve the difficult situation of the company. In January, resigned as CEO Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie. The company took over the reins Thorsten Heins. Three months later, he presented a frightening RIM’s financial results. In the preceding quarter, the company reported a net loss of $ 125 million. Heins also presented a restructuring plan for RIM. The company had to say goodbye to more than 5,000 employees. The new CEO also made considerable changes to its management. Prime BlackBerry 10 was finally transferred in January 2013. In December 2012 RIM had been only 8.3% of the U.S. smartphone market.
See also:
- new RIM smartphones »
- BlackBerry 10 is coming. Along with the new smartphones »
- PlayBook – unlucky debut new tablet »
New era, new problems
January 30 in New York held a grand premiere BlackBerry 10 system and two new smartphones – the flagship Z10 and Q10 with traditional classic QWERTY keyboard. In view of the new operating system prepared 70,000 applications, and their number was to reach 100,000 to the point at which the device will debut in the U.S.. The symbolic opening of the new era was to be the change of name – became a RIM BlackBerry. The company approached even more so for its strongest brands.
Unfortunately, all indications are that this revolution has not improved the situation of the Canadian producer. In the last quarter the company sold 6.8 million smartphones, of which only 2.8 million were new models Z10 and Q10. Ruthless Canadians also proved marketplace: the value of shares of the BlackBerry decreased by 28% – the biggest crisis since 2000, and the famous “crack Ba?ski website.”
problem is the same smartphones. While Q10 from the beginning was addressed to a niche market enthusiasts who still prefer a traditional BlackBerry smartphones, whereas Z10 was supposed to be a modern smartphone for everyone. Smartphone, which as equals will compete with the latest Apple devices, Samsung and HTC. The victory in the battle of the smartphones Z10 but there is a chance. Phone hardware is clearly weaker than the flagship HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. Also, BB10 operating system can not cope when confronted with the latest Android and iOS-em – especially in terms of the number of available applications. The fact that the mobile device market is no place for a third system already convinced Nokia, which eventually abandoned Symbian, in which once invested millions.
May went around the world indicates that the BlackBerry for the first time make its flagship application, BB Messenger smartphones with Android and iOS-em. Is this the way a company from Ontario prepares the ground for a gradual withdrawal from the market of smartphones? Or maybe you have plans to resign from your own OS? The fact we will see in the coming months. So far, however, it should be hoped that Canadians manage to overcome the current crisis. Over the last 20 years a lot of messed up the BlackBerry world of new technology and would be a shame if the legendary “Blackberry” forever disappeared from the mobile world.
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BlackBerry: From triumph to fall. What next for the legendary “blackberry”?
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Daniel Maikowski
daniel.maikowski @ infor.pl
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