Can RIM be a comeback kid with BB10?

[iGas]

I have been following BB10 development for the last few months and it seems as if RIM will make a comeback in every preview and rumours that I have read.

The hardware is up to date, the OS/interface seems to be slick that is indistinct from Androi/iOS, and developers are still behind it.

 

[zaydq]

Maybe... but they sort of goofed for me. I live in Kitchener/Waterloo, where RIM is headquartered, and they would have had me buy their new phones had they came out with them this year. Unfortunately, they delayed and now I'm sporting an iPhone 5. I would love to see them make a comeback, lets hope the rumor and hype don't flop.

 

[iGas]

Maybe... but they sort of goofed for me. I live in Kitchener/Waterloo, where RIM is headquartered, and they would have had me buy their new phones had they came out with them this year. Unfortunately, they delayed and now I'm sporting an iPhone 5. I would love to see them make a comeback, lets hope the rumor and hype don't flop.

The sentiment is the same here.

I upgraded from a Bold 9700 to a Galaxy S3. However, I like the read mode, and peak mode, therefore I may get the BB10 when it come out and give my niece my S3.

 

[Mopetar]

Maybe. I don't think that they'll ever return to their former prominence, but there's no reason that they should utterly disappear from the market if they have some competitive and compelling products.

 

[SAWYER]

They are done

 

[foghorn67]

Mimicking others sentiments. I think its several months too late. Still hoping for success though. I love all gadgets, and I will soak up Anand's review.

 

[Ravynmagi]

It's just so baffling how long it's taking them to respond to how smart phones have changed during the last few years since the iPhone.

They have no chance now. We have iOS, Android, and even Windows Phone 8 looks like it could eventually be some kind of contender. Blackberry let their customers and fans down and I think it's going to be even harder now to earn them back. It's not happening.

 

[podspi]

I think it'll be hard for them. Heck, look how much trouble WP7 has had, and that UI (imho) is awesome, and has Microsoft throwing its weight behind it.

Really, the only thing that will save WP8 is that Windows RT/8 Apps will be very easily ported to WP8, and apps for Win RT/8 will get made because there will be lots of Win 8 machines sold.

I have a feeling that BB is going to go the way of WebOS. Sad, but at this point they have no momentum left. Even the people who were diehard BB fans (at least the ones I know) have given up and moved on to Android or iOS, and everybody else just isn't interested.

 

[dguy6789]

They are done

This. Windows Phone has everything going for it(and more) that BB10 is going(say they are going) to have and it is having quite a tough time gaining traction. BB is done

 

[Zink]

There's still 3-5 months until RIM is eventually going to try to release this platform. Apple, Google and Microsoft are fighting this holiday season to the death with new hardware and software and RIM is still trying to get ready for a "big" play.

They didn't fail too hard with the Playbook hardware and software, how it is taking them this long to finish their phone design I don't know. I also have a warped perspective of RIM mindshare and market penetration because I'm from Waterloo but they don't look completely dead yet from here. Apple gets hate for its success and Android has historically lacked that last bit of refinement compared to iOS so there may be enough new adopters and "historic" BB users to allow Rim to get a workable number of users if they are generally competitive. I think Windows Phone is amazing but I haven't seen much locally that shows it being accepted as something competitive with iOS and Android.

 

[s44]

Really, the only thing that will save WP8 is that Windows RT/8 Apps will be very easily ported to WP8, and apps for Win RT/8 will get made because there will be lots of Win 8 machines sold.

Well, BB's theory is that the same thing applies with them and Android apps.

 

[gsaldivar]

I don't know a single person who is "waiting" for BB10...

 

[Jodell88]

I'm interested in it. I'm also interested in the Open WebOS port for the Galaxy Nexus.

 

[zaydq]

I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they can make up some marketshare. In Canada, a majority of smartphone users are still pegged with using blackberries... albeit not necessarily new ones, but blackberries nonetheless. Come time for some of these people to upgrade, they may just plan on buying the new BB again if it doesn't fall flat on it's face in light of the competition. People stay with what they're comfortable with.

I'm also just theorizing (the statistic behind majority of smartphone users still on BBs was something I heard on the radio, so it may not necessarily be true), people might be so relieved to finally be able to upgrade to iOS, Android or WP they won't even consider looking at BB. I know I was quite fond of mine, but there was no denying their current products are a mere shadow to the titans on the playing field right now, hence I couldn't justify the "sidegrade" to a new BB.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

i would never get bb. look how long they had horrible browsing performance on their devices. look how long it is taking them to pop bb10 out. imagine how long youll wait for updates. why should you worry about that when you already know apple and google are doing great jobs with ios and android. they just arent resposive at all. what is bb10, its like whatever is on the blackberry tablet, yeah that thing that no one buys.

 

[Oyeve]

I hope they just sell off their tech to ms or apple or android. I have two lingering Bb users at work and I hate maintaining a bes just for them.

 

[dagamer34]

At least Windows Phone has Windows to help shore up both developer support and even easy game ports. What does BB 10 have that will even get a developer interested in downloading the SDK?

 

[xSauronx]

I don't know a single person who is "waiting" for BB10...

seriously. a customer who has been using blackberries for work for years has even switched to android. he has a playbook and even likes it, fwiw, but as the IT guy for the city hes not going to support BB devices anymore once everyone has their new phone

which means i can finally get rid of that craptastic blackberry express server

 

[dagamer34]

I hope they just sell off their tech to ms or apple or android. I have two lingering Bb users at work and I hate maintaining a bes just for them.

Why not kick them off? Are they executives?

What's really sad is with the arrival of touch, hardware keyboards have been getting the shaft. I think an updated Dell Venue Pro would do great for business executives who desire a hardware keyboard. And that thing had a premium feel too, but Dell is run by idiots.

 

[Aristotelian]

I know plenty of corporate and public service workers whose employers still have Blackberry contracts. I think once those millions of users see a better touch screen interface, they may very well wonder what the big deal with (insert brand here) is now that Blackberry has a touch screen interface, and the user experience is very similar to flagship touch screen phones. I have always despised Blackberry devices, but I think the mobile space will converge into price/performance without much longer (sort of like the laptop space), so the costs of premium handsets will only be justified if they can provide some sort of unique user experience that the others cannot.

 

[3chordcharlie]

I know plenty of corporate and public service workers whose employers still have Blackberry contracts. I think once those millions of users see a better touch screen interface, they may very well wonder what the big deal with (insert brand here) is now that Blackberry has a touch screen interface, and the user experience is very similar to flagship touch screen phones. I have always despised Blackberry devices, but I think the mobile space will converge into price/performance without much longer (sort of like the laptop space), so the costs of premium handsets will only be justified if they can provide some sort of unique user experience that the others cannot.

How, exactly, did you go about hating blackberry devices pre-2009 (i.e. pre iPhone 3GS)? There's simply no way you think anything was outperforming BB in the smartphone space before that.

And FTR, I am one who is waiting to see BB10, and a good view of WP8 before my next upgrade.

If neither is brilliant, I will end up on Android, but can't say I want to.

 

[silverpig]

I don't know a single person who is "waiting" for BB10...

I am.

I have a personal iPhone 4 and a work Bold 9900. When the BB10 all touch phone comes out, I'm buying one outright.

 

[magomago]

Nope.

I'm leaving BB once this new Nexus comes out.

My company has been supporting the iphone/android for a while now; recently they switched to only supporting those, especially with some new apps that mitigate a lot of security concerns for company.

That said, I'm talking the US....The international market is where BB may thrive, but BB still has to produce a good product otherwise it'll get gobbled up there too

 

[lothar]

At least Windows Phone has Windows to help shore up both developer support and even easy game ports. What does BB10 have that will even get a developer interested in downloading the SDK?

http://developer.blackberry.com/android/
RIMM is banking on developers using the Android SDK and porting their app to BB10.
I'm told that it only takes about 10-30 minutes or so to do.

 

[dagamer34]

http://developer.blackberry.com/android/
RIMM is banking on developers using the Android SDK and porting their app to BB10.
I'm told that it only takes about 10-30 minutes or so to do.

Kinda sounds like a poor user experience for customers, no? Like expecting web apps to be a good stand-in replacement for web apps; Facebook learned the hard way that users can tell the difference, I wonder if Twitter will get the same memo.