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Tag: Blackberry

  • Foursquare Updates Its BlackBerry App, Adds NFC Communication

    All you ever hear about these days is iOS this or Android that. What about the good ol’ BlackBerry? I owned one for years and I still miss its amazing keyboard. Well, at least one company hasn’t forgotten the BlackBerry and they’re even bringing some updates to the platform.

    Foursquare announced some updates that are coming to the Blackberry version of the app. This stuff is probably already in the Android and iOS versions of the app, but it’s good to have it on BlackBerry as well. RiM can still be up to date and tech savvy even if their products are beginning to slide.

    The first updates are the usual house cleaning and optimizing that we see come to apps all the time. Foursquare should now be speedier and present an all around better experience for BlackBerry users.

    The second update is one that I wasn’t particularly a fan of when Facebook and Twitter did it, but I’m sure people like it. Foursquare notifications will now be moved to your BlackBerry inbox. I’m sure you can change this in the settings like you could with Facebook and Twitter. It still doesn’t make it any less annoying when you don’t want to have your phone buzzing every two seconds.

    The big update though is the addition of NFC functionality. Foursquare can now take advantage of your phone’s NFC connection to connect with other BlackBerry or Android devices. This allows you share places and tips between yourselves. You can even check in at places that have those fancy NFC stickers set up.

    Now if you’re not convinced that these features are worth downloading the Foursquare app from the BlackBerry App World, Foursquare will be at the BlackBerry World conference in Orlando on May 1. If that too is not enough to entice you, RIM will also be handing out prizes to some lucky con goers.

  • First BlackBerry 10 Phone Coming In October?

    The first of Research In Motion’s long-awaited BlackBerry 10 smartphones may be coming in October, according to a recent report. The latest update to the BlackBerry platform was originally slated to launch late last year, but has seen repeated delays.

    Citing inside sources, N4BB.com is reporting that RIM will announce the first BlackBerry 10 device in the middle of August, and that it will release sometime in the first half of October. Interestingly, the first device in the BlackBerry 10 lineup is said to forego a physical QWERTY keyboard in favor of a touchscreen-only interface. Those wanting a more traditional QWERTY BlackBerry will reportedly have to wait until the first quarter of 2013. Even then, though, the keyboard is likely to be of the slide-out variety, rather than the more familiar half-keyboard, half-screen BlackBerry we’re used to.

    The report also says that RIM will be making a major marketing push for the BlackBerry 10 platform. That should come as no surprise. RIM has struggled significantly in the last few years, partly due to delays in the BlackBerry 10 OS, and partly due to inability to keep up with Apple’s iPhone and the Android platform. BlackBerry has suffered severe losses to both platforms – especially iOS.The BlackBerry 10 OS – which will also be coming to the PlayBook tablet – could be RIM’s lifeline if it turns out to be successful.

    What do you think? Should RIM lead off with a touchscreen-only BlackBerry? Do you think BlackBerry 10 will be enough to save RIM? Let us know in the comments.

  • Angry Birds Space HD Get Blackberry Playbook Release

    Angry Birds Space, the highly popular game from Rovio, has been tearing up the charts on the iPhone, iPad and android devices for over a month now. Well today we finally got the news that it is now available for the Blackberry Playbook!

    Angry Birds Space is the first true sequel to one of the most successful games in history. The premis of the game is to kill pigs, but in space! The game incorporates pretty spectacular visuals, which when mixed with the amazing gravity physics, makes for a truly spectacular game!

    With sales of this game approaching 30 million, it makes sense for Rovio to put this game on as many platforms as possible. With a WP7 already in the works, it look like they seem to now have all platforms taken care of.

    The game is currently available for download on the Blackberry App World for $2.99. What are you waiting for? Go kill some pigs!

    @AngryBirds
    Angry Birds    The birds are in space… on @BlackBerry #Playbook! http://t.co/Dbp95bqn #outnow #squawk 3 hours ago via SocialEngage ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    @BlackBerry
    Research In Motion    .Flying birds + zero gravity = @AngryBirds in Space – Now available for #BlackBerry #PlayBook: http://t.co/CpkXk9LM Let ‘em fly! ^MS 4 hours ago via SocialEngage ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

  • Apple Aims iPhone At Business Market With New Page

    When Apple first announced the iPhone in 2007, the smartphone market was primarily business-oriented. Sure, you’d find the occasional ordinary consumer with a BlackBerry or a Palm Treo, but most consumers weren’t worried about checking their email or managing their calendars with their phones. They were more focused on their flip camera phones. The iPhone – and eventually Android – made the smartphone a consumer device.

    Since then, iOS and Android have been steadily chipping away at BlackBerry’s former dominance of the smartphone market, to the point that the company is in pretty dire straights. Even in the business market that BlackBerry used to dominate, iOS and Android have made significant inroads. In recent months government agencies and private corporations like Halliburton, the NOAA, the ATF, and the FAA have made plans to either switch from BlackBerry to iOS, or to expand their current use of iOS devices. There has even been speculation that AT&T’s recent announcement that they would unlock iPhones for the military personnel was prompted by the military’s desire to use iPhone in the field.

    For the most part Apple hasn’t made any special effort to target itself to the business market. Now that has changed. Over the weekend a new page on Apple’s website went live. The iPhone in Business page takes aim at the very business market that BlackBerry maker Research in Motion is clinging to for dear life.

    The page showcases some of the ways that iPhones can be used in a business setting. The page showcases the some of the iPhone’s built-in applications like Mail, Calendar, Contacts, and iMessage. The inclusion of iMessage is a pretty direct shot at BlackBerry Messenger, one of BlackBerry’s most popular features among business users. The page also shows off a lot of App Store apps that leverage the iPhone’s capabilities for business.

    The Integration section of the page shows off all the ways iPhones can be integrated into your business’s existing information infrastructure, including email, data security, and mobile device management. The Apps for Business section offers a sampling of apps designed for business users, including apps made by Apple (like the iWork suite) and those made by third party developers. There’s also a section that offers resources for businesses that want to develop and deploy their own iPhone apps.

    The Profiles section consists of the stories from companies that have deployed the iPhone in their businesses. Some of these businesses, like Lowe’s, Dow Corning, and GE, for example, are large and well-known while others, like Jackson Kayak, the Redlands, California police department, and Safe/Sea Marine Rescue, are a little less well known.

    Finally, there’s a section full of resources for companies that want to deploy iPhones in their business. There are guides and overviews dealing with a wide array of issues related to using iPhone in business, including security, integration with services like Microsoft Exchange, the use of Apple’s Configurator to manage devices, and more.

    All in all, the iPhone in Business page is Apple’s largest and most direct foray yet in to the business market. While Apple has previously been content to work its way into the business world more slowly, this looks like the start of a major push that could mean serious trouble for BlackBerry in the not-too-distant future.

    What do you think? Is Apple trying to knock BlackBerry out for good? Do you use the iPhone in your business, or are you still with BlackBerry? Or do you use Android, or another platform altogether? Let us know in the comments.

  • BlackBerry Curve 9220 Comes To India

    BlackBerry Curve 9220 Comes To India

    Research In Motion has launched the BlackBerry Curve 9220 in India, the company announced today. The Cuvre 9220 is meant to be an affordable and easy-to-use option for Indian customers who want a BlackBerry.

    The Curve 9220 will hit stores in India on Thursday, April 19th. It features BlackBerry OS 7.1 with significant social media integration. Twitter and Facebook apps are installed out of the box, as is an app called Social Feeds, which allows users to post to multiple social networks. It also sports a much better battery than previous BlackBerry Curve models. Additionally, it has a built-in FM radio and a 2 megapixel camera.

    Speaking about the launch, Carlo Chiarello, RIM’s Senior Vice President, Smartphone Business said “India is a very important market for RIM and we are extremely proud and excited to officially unveil and launch the new BlackBerry Curve 9220 for the first time here in India.” Additionally, Sunil Dutt, RIM’s Managing Director for India, touted the phone’s social integration: “The new BlackBerry Curve 9220 offers a unique mobile experience that you Indians will love thanks to its affordable pricing and unmatched messaging and social connectivity features.”

    To promote the BlackBerry Curve 9220’s launch, customers can download 2,500 Rupees (about $50 USD) worth of apps from BlackBerry App World for free until June 30th. RIM’s announcement does not mention the phone’s price, however MobiGyaan claims it will be priced at 10,990 Rupees (roughly $212 USD).

  • RIM May Hire A Financial Adviser To Help Solve Its Problems

    Research In Motion, the long-suffering maker of the BlackBerry smartphone platform, is reportedly looking into hiring a financial adviser to help it navigate out of its current troubles. Late last month the company released its fourth quarter earnings report, and the news was pretty grim. Revenue for for the quarter was down 19% from the third quarter, and 25% from the same quarter last year. At the same time, device sales were down 21% from the third quarter.

    As part of the earnings report, RIM announced that several executives were leaving the company, to be followed by two more about a week later. They also announced that they were refocusing their marketing efforts, returning to an emphasis on business customers. This led many to conclude that RIM was abandoning the consumer market altogether, though RIM denied it.

    During RIM’s earnings call, CEO Thorsten Heins mentioned the possibility of licensing BlackBerry software to other handset makers, licensing RIM’s patent catalog, or even selling the company altogether. Today, Bloomberg is reporting that RIM is preparing to hire a financial adviser to help it decide. Citing “four people with knowledge of the matter,” Bloomberg says that while a strategic outside investment or sale of the company are unlikely, the company will probably pursue licensing options. RIM could chose to license the BlackBerry software platform to other device manufacturers like Samsung or HTC, both of which would no doubt be happy for another alternative to Android for their smartphone lines. The company could also choose to license its patent portfolio to a company like Microsoft, which is currently struggling to make inroads in the smartphone market.

    Whatever course RIM chooses – and a combination of licensing options seems most likely – it’s a pretty safe bet that the company is headed for some major changes. Whether it survives, or what it looks like when the dust settles, remains to be seen.

  • RIM Exec Clarifies Claims About PlayBook Sideloading

    Last week on Twitter Alec Saunders, Vice President of Developer Relations for RIM, stirred up some controversy with statements about future support for sideloading in the next version of the BlackBerry PlayBook operating system. In case you’re not familiar, sideloading is the ability to load apps onto a device without going through an official app market. It’s a feature of Android that has caused some problems for Android developers, as it can be used to load pirated apps on to Android phones and tablets.

    RIM, it seems, does not want BlackBerry App World to wind up like Google Play, which Saunders called a “chaotic cesspool” of piracy:

    @asaunders
    Alec Saunders    @blondeboyofdoom piracy is a huge problem for Android devs, and we don’t want to duplicate the chaotic cesspool of Android market 5 days ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    The day before, Saunders said that RIM would be removing sideloading from PlayBook OS 2.1, citing developers’ piracy concerns:

    @asaunders
    Alec Saunders    @blondeboyofdoom piracy is a huge problem for Android devs, and we don’t want to duplicate the chaotic cesspool of Android market 5 days ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    When questioned, he said that sideloading for consumers would be getting the ax, but that developers would continue to be able to test their apps:

    @asaunders
    Alec Saunders    @Spy520e we’re removing sideloading for consumers. Pretty sure we’ve got a solution for devs. 5 days ago via TweetDeck ·  Reply ·  Retweet ·  Favorite · powered by @socialditto

    The tweets produced a fair bit of controversy when they came to light late yesterday and this morning, prompting Saunders to post to the BlackBerry Dev Blog to clarify the situation. Leaving sideloading available for consumers, he said, enables piracy. The purpose of the feature is to allow developers and their beta testing communities to test apps. He went on to say that PlayBook OS 2.1 would not, after all, be losing sideloading. Instead, it would include “a feature that will encrypt apps so they can only be run by the user who purchased the app.”

    In other words, you can technically sideload an app onto your PlayBook, but only if you’ve purchased it. This is actually the same model that Apple users. An iOS app can be loaded onto an iOS device by copying it from any source – a USB data stick, for example – into your iTunes library. However, it will only run on an iOS device if the user purchased it, or has been authorized by the person who purchased it.

    What do you think? Should RIM have left sideloading alone in PlayBook OS? Is app piracy as big an issue as Saunders claims? Let us know in the comments.

  • Infographic Compares App Store Figures

    Infographic Compares App Store Figures

    Key Comparisons:

    • iTunes is by far the most profitable platform in terms of apps sold.
    • Google Play has nearly as many apps, but over 79% of them have been downloaded less than a hundred times. only 4.6% have been downloaded over 1,000 times
    • Apple’s App Store grew 44%, Google Play grew 127%
    • Blackberry Developers make 40% more profit than Android developers
    • Number of apps: Google Play – 400,000, Apple Store – 500,000, Blackberry – 70,000
    • Android offers more free apps than anyone

  • BlackBerry Still U.S. Government’s First Choice

    Politicians and their aides will have to wait a little while longer to blend in with the cool kids. Even though several high profile clients have dropped BlackBerry as the company-issue phone, the U.S. government has pledged to hold on to their BlackBerry devices.

    In other words, no Androids or iPhones for Congress or the White House just yet.

    Even though the rest of the tech community the world over has been trading in their BlackBerry phones, the plan in the Beltway is to remain BlackBuried alive. Despite the way the rest of the world seems to be swaying, Casey Coleman, the chief information officer at the General Services Administration, told the Washington Post that they “appreciate RIM’s focus on security which is paramount for government use.”

    Agencies and big contractors note that the BlackBerry is cheaper than the iPhone and many Android devices. IT departments across the government have years-long contracts with RIM and the wireless carriers that promote the device. And tech staffers at federal agencies are trained to fix BlackBerry products, which makes it harder to switch to new technologies, analysts say.

    Also, given all of the security breaches that iPhones and Androids have had in the past couple of months, it’s hard to really argue that point until some of those issues are fixed.

    [Via Washington Post.]

  • RIM Losing More Execs Following Poor Earnings Report

    Late last month Research In Motion, makers of BlackBerry smartphones and tablets, announced the departure of several of their top executives following a dismal earnings report. Former co-CEO Jim Balsillie left his position on RIM’s board, while CTO David Yach retired and COO Jim Roan “has decided to pursue other interests.”

    Now it seems that Balsillie, Yach, and Rowan were not the only heads to roll in RIM’s shakeup. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that several other top executives have departed as well. Citing “people close to the firm,” the Journal says that Vice President for BlackBerry Messenger Alistair Mitchell and Senior Vice President for the BlackBerry platform Alan Brenner were leaving the company as well.

    The news in RIM’s earning report for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 was, to put it mildly, pretty bad. RIM’s revenue for the year was down 7%, while its revenue for the fourth quarter was down 19% from the previous quarter, and 25% from the fourth quarter of last year. What’s more, they shipped 11.1 million BlackBerry phones in the fourth quarter, down 21% from the third quarter.

    In addition to the departure of the executives, RIM announced some other changes they would be making. Most notably, they stated their intention to refocus their business strategy on the enterprise market and those sections of the consumer market most closely associated with it. While this was believed by many to signal RIM’s exit from the consumer market, they later released a statement saying they were not doing so.

    It’s hard to deny at this point that RIM is in pretty dire straights. Their last two major products – BlackBerry 7 and the BlackBerry PlayBook – performed well below expectations. To say that the company’s hopes rest entirely on the upcoming BlackBerry 10, set to release later this year, may be an overstatement, but not much of one.

    What do you think? Are the shakeups at RIM too little, too late, or can they turn things around? Let us know in the comments.

  • BlackBerry Mobile Fusion Brings BlackBerry Security Features To iOS, Android

    Last year we brought you news that RIM was developing BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, a software solution that brings BlackBerry-stye device and software management to iOS and Android phones. There was little information at the time on when BlackBerry Mobile Fusion would be getting a public release. Today, though, RIM announced that the software is finally available.

    Despite RIM’s ongoing struggles against iOS and Android in the consumer market, they have maintained a relatively strong presence in the business market. That’s due mainly to the fact that BlackBerry offers enterprise customers easy, integrated solutions for managing the mobile devices used by their employees. BlackBerry offers corporate IT departments tools for managing software implementation, deployment, and security for employees’ mobile devices.

    Unfortunately for RIM, most employees are also consumers, and have begun to prefer Android and iOS devices to BlackBerrys, threatening RIM’s formerly secure position atop the corporate mountain. Unfortunately for IT departments, Android and iOS don’t offer the same level of control and security they have become accustomed to (though even IT professionals are starting to show a preference for iOS). Moreover, the use of multiple devices on one corporate network presents its own issues.

    That’s where BlackBerry Mobile Fusion comes in. It’s a mobile device management (MDM) software platform that allows IT professionals to handle not only BlackBerry phones and PlayBook tablets, it also works with both smartphones and tablets running iOS or Android. The Universal Device Service feature allows admins to manage iOS and Android devices from the same interface they use to manage BlackBerry devices.

    The software also features BlackBerry Balance technology. With balance, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion creates a secure file system on the devices where business-related information is stored. This keeps business data separate from personal data, keeping it secure while allowing employees more freedom to use their device in both personal and work environments. Unfortunately for iOS and Android users, it appears to only be compatible with BlackBerry phones and tablets.

    All in all, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion appears to be a pretty impressive bit of software. What’s more, it may give a hint about RIM’s future as a company. After a dismal fourth quarter, the company announced some changes that seemed to suggest that they were abandoning the consumer smartphone market. They denied this, saying that they were not actually leaving the consumer market, but aiming at a narrow segment of it. The plan, they say, is to focus on BlackBerry’s core user base: business consumers. BlackBerry Mobile Fusion may be the first step in that process. What’s more, it could be an early sign that RIM may eventually transition into a company that focuses primarily on software for mobile business. If so, BlackBerry Mobile Fusion could be a solid first step along that path.

    Here’s a video of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion in action. Check it out, then let us know what you think in the comments.

  • Twitter For BlackBerry Upgrade Integrates BBM, Makes Sharing Links Easier

    Today, the Twitter for BlackBerry app gets an upgrade. Version 3.0 is now available to download at the BlackBerry app world for device software 5.0 and above.

    Probably the biggest thing to come with this update is the new connection with BlackBerry Messenger. Now, BBM users can easily share their last tweet as their personal BBM message. Additionally, users can now pull up their BBM contacts’ Twitter accounts from their BBM profiles.

    The new version also does some cool stuff with link and photos:

    Twitter for BlackBerry makes it easier to share links to web pages directly from the browser. When you tweet a link it will automatically be shortened so it takes up fewer characters. And, you can upload photos to Twitter (pic.twitter.com) right from your device’s camera or when writing your Tweets.

    Back in December 2011, the last major update to the Twitter for BlackBerry app brought multi-account support. The app also allowed users to combine timelines from five different accounts and gave them the ability to post to those multiple accounts with one single action.

  • The Rise and Fall of RIM [Infographic]

    When Research In Motion, onetime king of the smartphone mountain, released its 2011 fourth quarter earnings report last week, things didn’t look good for the company. Along with the release of the earnings report came an announcement that the company would be rethinking its strategy, with a focus on appealing to the enterprise market, where it still has a small advantage over prominent makers of Androids and and the iPhone. This announcement was first widely interpreted to mean that RIM would be abandoning the consumer market, though the company followed-up, insisting it is not entirely abandoning the market, but rather is focusing on a specific subset of the consumer market — namely, the intersection of business and personal use — where the BlackBerry still thrives.

    O! how the mighty have fallen. The once great “CrackBerry” has lost the battle of addictiveness to the iPhone and Android, and games like Words With Friends and Draw Something. Here’s a chart from Statista detailing RIM’s loss of market share since 2009.

  • RIM Insists They Are Not Abandoning Consumer Market

    RIM has issued a statement insisting it is not exiting the consumer smartphone market, despite reports from numerous media outlets. When RIM’s earnings report for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 was published yesterday, it painted a bleak picture of the once-mighty smartphone maker. Revenues for the fourth quarter were down 19% from where they were in the third quarter, and 25% from where they were this time last year. Overall revenue for fiscal year 2011 was down by 7%, while smartphone sales were down 21%.

    Along with the earnings report, RIM made several statements about the company’s strategy moving forward. Part of that forward movement involved the departure of three of RIM’s top executives, including co-founder and former co-CEO Jim Balsillie. The company also announced a refocusing of its marketing strategy. During the earnings call, new CEO Thorsten Heins said that RIM plans “to refocus on the enterprise business and capitalize on our leading position in this segment.”

    This statement was widely interpreted to mean that RIM was more or less abandoning the consumer market, leaving it to competitors iOS and Android, which have proven vastly more popular among consumers than BlackBerry. Now RIM is denying those reports. In a blog post this afternoon the company insisted that it “remains committed to the consumer market.” The company does not, in fact, plan to abandon the consumer market completely, rather the company will “focus its talent base and homegrown software and services on specific areas of the consumer market where BlackBerry excels.”

    Citing the increasing use of personal mobile devices for business, the company says that they will focus on building “a smartphone that consumers will be excited to use both personally and professionally that will also satisfy their employer’s needs for security and data management.”

    So there you have it. RIM is not abandoning the consumer market completely, they’re just focusing on the areas of the consumer market where they aren’t currently being trounced by iOS and Android. Specifically, they’re focusing on the BYOD (“Bring Your Own Device”) market – people who need mobile devices for work, and whose employers allow them to choose their own rather than issuing them. More to the point, they’re targeting that fuzzy edge of the consumer market where it rubs against the business market. To be fair, that’s where BlackBerry has fared best against iOS and Android, and it does make sense for BlackBerry to continue to play to its strengths. Even so, it’s such a narrow segment of the market and so closely related to the business market that it’s a bit difficult to see the distinction. Maybe they’re not technically abandoning the consumer market, in the strictest sense, but they’re abandoning most of it, and from most angles, it’s hard to tell the difference.

    What do you think? Do you buy RIM’s statement that they’re not abandoning the consumer market? Let us know in the comments.

  • RIM Will Abandon The Consumer Market, Focus On Enterprise

    As we told you yesterday, BlackBerry maker Research In Motion released its earnings report for the fourth quarter of the 2011 fiscal year, and the news was not good. The company, which stood unchallenged at the top of the smartphone market just five years ago, reported a 19% drop in revenue for the quarter, a 7% drop for the year, and a 25% drop from the fourth quarter of last year. Meanwhile, they shipped 11.1 million BlackBerry smartphones in the fourth quarter, a 21% drop from the third quarter.

    With news that bad, you can expect RIM to start making some major changes in the near future if they want to survive. Accordingly, RIM announced several measures designed to keep the company afloat. First, co-founder and former co-CEO Jim Balsillie will step down from his position on the company’s board of directors. Balsillie stepped down as co-CEO (along with Mike Lazaridis) in late January with the appointment of Thorsten Heins as President and CEO. Current CTO for Software David Yach and current COO for Global Operations Jim Rowan will also be leaving the company. Yach is said to be retiring, while Rowan “has decided to pursue other interests.”

    RIM also announced a change in their device strategy. RIM’s efforts to produce BlackBerry smartphones that appeal to consumers in the same way as iOS and Android devices have been largely unsuccessful. Acknowledging that, RIM is planning to refocus its efforts toward making phones that are suited to the enterprise market, and that appeal to customers who will purchase the phones for work. This move represents a return to RIM’s roots, and an increased focus on the one market where RIM still enjoys some advantage (albeit small and decreasing) over iOS and Android.

    Before Apple introduced the first iPhone in 2007 the smartphone market was primarily business-oriented. After all, consumers didn’t need or even want to send emails from their phones, right? In those days, the BlackBerry was the undisputed master of the business smartphone market. With the iPhone, though, Apple proved that there was a market for consumer smartphones after all, and Google followed suit with its Android operating system. In fact, early versions of Android smartphones looked very much like BlackBerrys until the iPhone proved the appeal of the touchscreen. Since then, RIM’s road has been mostly downhill.

    The increasing popularity of iOS and Android phones, combined with some unfortunate business moves by RIM, including a few products that basically flopped, have left the company on decidedly shaky ground. The company’s market share has plummeted as iOS and Android continue to grow. In fact, recent data showed that more iPhones than BlackBerrys were sold in RIM’s native Canada, where BlackBerry has long held a special place in the hearts of consumers. To make matters worse, consumers aren’t the only ones who are turning to iPhone and Android over BlackBerry. Corporations and government agencies – including the ATF, the NOAA, and Halliburton – are making the switch away from BlackBerry as their mobile platform of choice.

    While a refocus on the enterprise market that made RIM successful is certainly a good move, and the forthcoming BlackBerry 10 will no doubt give the company a boost, it remains to be seen whether such measures can save the struggling company.

    What do you think? Can RIM come back from the edge? Is refocusing on enterprise a good idea? Can BlackBerry 10 save them? Let us know in the comments.

  • RIM Earnings Released: Q4 Revenue Down 25%, Full-Year Down 7%

    BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIM) just released its fourth quarter and year-end of fiscal 2012 earnings.

    For Q4, the company reported a 19% drop in revenue from $5.2 billion in the third quarter to $4.2 billion. That’s also down 25% from $5.6 billion in the year-ago quarter. The company shipped 11.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and over 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets in the quarter.

    For the year, revenue was $18.4 billion, down 7% from $19.9 billion the previous year.

    “I have assessed many aspects of RIM’s business during my first 10 weeks as CEO,” says CEO Thorsten Heins, who assumed the CEO position in January. “I have confirmed that the Company has substantial strengths that can be further leveraged to improve our financial performance, including RIM’s global network infrastructure, a strong enterprise offering and a large and growing base of more than 77 million subscribers.”

    “I’m very excited about the prospects for the BlackBerry 10 platform, which is on track for the latter part of calendar 2012,” he added. “Notwithstanding these strengths and opportunities, the business challenges we face over the next several quarters are significant and I am taking the necessary steps to address them. In addition to delivering the BlackBerry 10 platform and refocusing resources on RIM’s key opportunities, such as BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and new integrated service offerings, we will also drive greater operational performance through a variety of initiatives including increased management accountability and process discipline. In parallel, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of strategic opportunities including partnerships and joint ventures, licensing, and other ways to leverage RIM’s assets and maximize value for our stakeholders.”

    Here’s the release in its entirety:

    WATERLOO, ONTARIO–(Marketwire -03/29/12)- Research In Motion Limited (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM – News)(TSX: RIM.TO –News), a world leader in the mobile communications market, today reported fourth quarter results for the three months and fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (all figures in U.S. dollars and U.S. GAAP, except where otherwise indicated).

    Highlights:

     

--  $2.1 billion in cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term
    investments at the end of the quarter, which increased by approximately
    $610 million in the quarter
--  Cash flow from operations of approximately $1.1 billion, up from
    approximately $900 million in Q3
--  Revenue of $4.2 billion, down 19% from the third quarter
--  GAAP net loss in Q4 of $125 million or $0.24 per share diluted; adjusted
    net income of $418 million or $0.80 per share diluted
--  BlackBerry smartphone shipments of 11.1 million in Q4, down 21% from Q3
--  RIM to discontinue providing specific quantitative guidance
--  RIM provides update on organizational changes

    Q4 Results:

    Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 was $4.2 billion, down 19% from $5.2 billion in the previous quarter and down 25% from $5.6 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2011. The revenue breakdown for the quarter was approximately 68% for hardware, 27% for service and 5% for software and other revenue. During the quarter, RIM shipped approximately 11.1 million BlackBerry smartphones and over 500,000 BlackBerry PlayBook tablets.

    “I have assessed many aspects of RIM’s business during my first 10 weeks as CEO. I have confirmed that the Company has substantial strengths that can be further leveraged to improve our financial performance, including RIM’s global network infrastructure, a strong enterprise offering and a large and growing base of more than 77 million subscribers. I’m very excited about the prospects for the BlackBerry 10 platform, which is on track for the latter part of calendar 2012. Notwithstanding these strengths and opportunities, the business challenges we face over the next several quarters are significant and I am taking the necessary steps to address them,” said Thorsten Heins, President & CEO of Research In Motion. “In addition to delivering the BlackBerry 10 platform and refocusing resources on RIM’s key opportunities, such as BlackBerry Mobile Fusion and new integrated service offerings, we will also drive greater operational performance through a variety of initiatives including increased management accountability and process discipline. In parallel, we are undertaking a comprehensive review of strategic opportunities including partnerships and joint ventures, licensing, and other ways to leverage RIM’s assets and maximize value for our stakeholders.”

    The Company’s GAAP net loss for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012 was $125 million, or $0.24 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $265 million, or $0.51 per share diluted, in the prior quarter and GAAP net income of $934 million, or $1.78 per share diluted, in the same quarter of fiscal 2011. Adjusted net income for the fourth quarter was $418 million, or $0.80 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share for the fourth quarter exclude the impact of pre-tax charges of $355 million which are predominantly non-cash ($346 million after tax) for the impairment of goodwill and $267 million ($197 million after-tax) for an inventory provision taken primarily on certain BlackBerry7 products. These charges and their related impacts on GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are summarized in the tables below.

    Reconciliation of GAAP gross margin, gross margin percentage, net income and diluted EPS to adjusted gross margin, gross margin percentage, net income and diluted EPS:

    (United States dollars, in millions except per share data)

     

                              For the quarter ended March 3, 2012
                   ---------------------------------------------------------
                                    Gross Margin
                   Gross Margin(1)   %(1)(before   Net Income or    Diluted
                    (before taxes)        taxes)          (Loss)        EPS
                   ---------------------------------------------------------
As reported         $        1,401          33.4%  $        (125)     (0.24)

Adjustments:
Impairment of
 Goodwill(2)                     -             -             346       0.66
Inventory
 Provision(3)                  267           6.4%            197       0.38

                   ---------------------------------------------------------
Adjusted            $        1,668          39.8%  $         418 $     0.80
                   ---------------------------------------------------------
                   ---------------------------------------------------------
Note: Adjusted gross margin, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted
earnings per share do not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and
thus are not comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other
issuers. The Company believes that the presentation of adjusted gross
margin, adjusted gross margin percentage, adjusted net income and adjusted
diluted earnings per share enables the Company and its shareholders to
better assess RIM's operating results relative to its operating results in
prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented.
Investors should consider these non-GAAP measures in the context of RIM's
GAAP results.

(1) During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company reported GAAP
gross margin of $1.4 billion or 33.4% of revenue. Excluding the impact of
charges primarily related to inventory valuation of certain BlackBerry 7
products, the adjusted gross margin was $1.7 billion, or 39.8% of revenue.

(2) Subsequent to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company performed a
goodwill impairment test and based on the results of that test, the Company
recorded a non-cash pre-tax goodwill impairment charge of $355 million, $346
million after tax.

(3) During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax
provision of approximately $267 million, $197 million after tax, which was
mostly non-cash, primarily related to its inventory valuation of certain
BlackBerry 7 products.

    The total of cash, cash equivalents, short-term and long-term investments was $2.1 billion as of March 3, 2012, compared to $1.5 billion at the end of the previous quarter, an increase of approximately $610 million from the prior quarter. Cash flow from operations in Q4 was approximately $1.1 billion, up from $900 million in Q3. Uses of cash included intangible asset additions of approximately $260 million and capital expenditures of approximately $190 million.

    Fiscal 2012 Results

    Revenue for the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 was $18.4 billion, down 7% from $19.9 billion in fiscal 2011. The Company’s GAAP net income for fiscal 2012 was $1.2 billion, or $2.22 per share diluted, compared with GAAP net income of $3.4 billion, or $6.34 per share diluted in fiscal 2011. Adjusted net income for fiscal 2012 was $2.2 billion, or $4.20 per share diluted. Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share for fiscal 2012 exclude the adjustments described above as well as the impact of pre-tax charges of $54 million ($40 million after tax) to revenue related to the service interruption experienced in the third quarter, $485 million ($356 million after tax) for the PlayBook inventory provision taken in the third quarter and $125 million ($96 million after tax) for the Company’s cost optimization program that was implemented in the second quarter of fiscal 2012. These charges and their related impacts on GAAP net income and diluted earnings per share are summarized in the tables below.

    Reconciliation of GAAP revenue, gross margin, gross margin percentage, net income and diluted EPS to adjusted revenue, gross margin, gross margin percentage, net income, and diluted EPS:

    (United States dollars, in millions except per share data)

     

                              For the year ended March 3, 2012
                ------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Gross       Gross
                    Revenue  Margin(1)  Margin%(1)
                    (before    (before     (before
                     taxes)     taxes)      taxes)   Net Income  Diluted EPS
                ------------------------------------------------------------
As reported     $    18,435 $    6,579        35.7% $     1,164 $       2.22

Adjustments:
PlayBook
 Inventory
 Provision(2)             -        485         2.6%         356         0.68
Cost
 Optimization
 Program(3)               -         14           -           96         0.18
Q3 Service
 Interruption(4)         54         54         0.3%          40         0.08
Impairment of
 Goodwill(5)              -          -           -          346         0.66
Inventory
 Provision(6)            19        267         1.4%         197         0.38

                ------------------------------------------------------------
Adjusted        $    18,508 $    7,399        40.0% $     2,199 $       4.20
                ------------------------------------------------------------
                ------------------------------------------------------------
Note: Adjusted revenue, adjusted gross margin, adjusted gross margin
percentage, adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share do
not have a standardized meaning prescribed by GAAP and thus are not
comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other issuers. The
Company believes that the presentation of adjusted revenue, adjusted gross
margin, adjusted gross margin percentage, adjusted net income and adjusted
diluted earnings per share enables the Company and its shareholders to
better assess RIM's operating results relative to its operating results in
prior periods and improves the comparability of the information presented.
Investors should consider these non-GAAP measures in the context of RIM's
GAAP results.

(1) During fiscal 2012, the Company reported GAAP gross margin of $6.6
billion, or 35.7% of revenue. Excluding the impact of charges related to the
PlayBook Inventory Provision, the Cost Optimization Program, the Q3 Service
Interruption and the Inventory Provision, the adjusted gross margin was $7.4
billion, or 40.0% of revenue.

(2) During fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax provision of
approximately $485 million, $356 million after tax, related to its inventory
valuation of BlackBerry PlayBook tablets. The charge was predominantly non-
cash.

(3) Cost of sales, research and development, and selling, marketing and
administration expenses in fiscal 2012 included approximately $11 million,
$18 million, and $67 million, respectively, in after-tax charges related to
the cost optimization program to streamline operations across the Company.

(4) During fiscal 2012, the Company experienced a service interruption which
resulted in the loss of service revenue and the payment of service credits
totally approximately $54 million, approximately $40 million after tax,
related to the interruption in the availability of the Company's network.

(5) Subsequent to fiscal 2012, the Company performed a goodwill impairment
test and based on the results of that test, the Company recorded a non-cash
pre-tax goodwill impairment charge of approximately $355 million,
approximately $346 after tax.

(6) In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, the Company recorded a pre-tax
provision of approximately $267 million, $197 million after tax, which was
mostly non-cash, primarily related to its inventory valuation of certain
BlackBerry 7 products.

    Change to Guidance Practices and Outlook:

    The company expects continued pressure on revenue and earnings throughout fiscal 2013. Due to a desire to focus on long term value creation and the current business environment, RIM will no longer provide specific quantitative guidance. Some of the factors contributing to this include, ongoing weakness in the Company’s U.S. smartphone business, an increased focus on selling BlackBerry 7 smartphones to grow the subscriber base in advance of the BlackBerry 10 launch, increasing competitive pressure in the Company’s international markets and the introduction of certain new lower tier service pricing initiatives and a higher mix of sales coming from entry level products.

    Organizational and Board of Directors Update:

    Jim Balsillie, former Co-CEO of the Company, has resigned as a Director on the Company’s Board.

    “As I complete my retirement from RIM, I’m grateful for this remarkable experience and for the opportunity to have worked with outstanding professionals who helped turn a Canadian idea into a global success,” said Jim Balsillie.

    “On behalf of the Board and everyone at RIM, I would like to thank Jim for his 20 years of service to RIM,” said Barb Stymiest, Chair of RIM’s Board of Directors. “His energy, drive and enthusiasm helped build one of the most successful technology companies of our time.”

    In addition, David Yach will be retiring from his role as CTO, Software after 13 years with the Company and after 4 years with the company and following an open dialogue on the future of global operations, Jim Rowan, COO, Global Operations, has decided to pursue other interests. The Company is currently undertaking a search to hire a single COO with responsibilities to run the Company’s operations.

    “RIM would like to thank David Yach and Jim Rowan for their years of service and many contributions to RIM,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. “We wish them well in their future pursuits.”

    Conference Call and Webcast

    A conference call and live webcast will be held beginning at 5 pm ET, March 29, 2012, which can be accessed by dialing 1-800-814-4859 (North America), (+1)416-644-3414 (outside North America) or through your personal computer or BlackBerry® PlayBook™ tablet atwww.rim.com/investors/events/index.shtml. A replay of the conference call will also be available at approximately 7 pm ET by dialing (+1)416-640-1917 and entering passcode 4466496#. A replay of the webcast will be available on your personal computer or BlackBerry PlayBook tablet by clicking the link above. This replay will be available until midnight ET, April 12, 2012.

    About Research In Motion

    Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry® solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (NASDAQ: RIMM – News) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RIM.TO – News). For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com.

    This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws, including: statements relating to RIM’s plans, strategies and objectives, statements relating to RIM’s ability to leverage its business strengths, the anticipated timing of the launch of RIM’s BlackBerry 10 platform, statements regarding the challenges RIM faces, opportunities and initiatives that RIM intends to consider or pursue, statements regarding RIM’s guidance practices in the future, and the Company’s expectations regarding revenue and earnings in fiscal 2012. The terms and phrases “discontinue”, “can”, “leverage”, “offering”, “challenges”, “plan”, “next several quarters”, “take”, “on track”, “refocus”, “opportunities”, “drive”, “initiatives”, “undertaking”, “maximize”, “outlook”, “will”, “ongoing”, “expects” and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances, including but not limited to general economic conditions, product pricing levels and competitive intensity, supply constraints, the timing and success of new product introductions, RIM’s expectations regarding its business, strategy and prospects, and RIM’s confidence in the cash flow generation of its business.

    Many factors could cause RIM’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: RIM’s ability to enhance current products and develop new products and services in a timely manner or at competitive prices, including risks related to further delays in new product introductions, such as the Company’s BlackBerry 10 smartphones; risks related to intense competition, including RIM’s ability to compete in the tablet market, and strategic alliances or transactions within the wireless communications industry; risks relating to RIM’s ability to maintain or grow its services revenue; RIM’s reliance on carrier partners and distributors; security risks and risks related to the collection, storage, transmission, use and disclosure of user and personal information; risks relating to network disruptions and other business interruptions, including costs, potential liabilities, lost revenue and reputational damage associated with service disruptions; RIM’s ability to manage inventory and asset risk; RIM’s ability to implement and realize the anticipated benefits of its Be Bold Excellence program (formerly referred to as the CORE program); RIM’s ability to maintain or increase its cash balance; potential additional charges relating to the impairment of goodwill or other intangible assets recorded on RIM’s balance sheet; RIM’s ability to attract and retain key personnel; RIM’s reliance on suppliers of functional components for its products and risks relating to its supply chain; RIM’s ability to maintain and enhance the BlackBerry brand; risks related to RIM’s international operations; risks related to government regulations, including regulations relating to encryption technology; RIM’s reliance on third-party network infrastructure developers, software platform vendors and service platform vendors; RIM’s ability to expand and manage its BlackBerry App World applications catalogue; RIM’s reliance on third-party manufacturers; risks relating to litigation, including litigation claims arising from the Company’s past practice of providing forward-looking guidance; potential defects in RIM’s products; RIM’s ability to manage its past growth and its ongoing development of service and support operations; disruptions to RIM’s business as a result of shareholder activism; risks related to intellectual property; and difficulties in forecasting RIM’s financial results, particularly over longer periods given the rapid technological changes, evolving industry standards, intense competition and short product life cycles that characterize the wireless communications industry.

    These risk factors and others relating to RIM are discussed in greater detail in the “Risk Factors” section of RIM’s Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F and the “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” section of RIM’s MD&A (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM’s forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

     

                         Research In Motion Limited
                   Incorporated under the Laws of Ontario
  (United States dollars, in millions except share and per share amounts)
                                 (unaudited)

                   Consolidated Statements of Operations

                         Three months ended            For the year ended
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
                 March 3, November 26, February 26,   March 3, February 26,
                     2012         2011         2011       2012         2011
---------------------------------------------------- -----------------------

Revenue         $   4,190  $     5,169  $     5,556  $  18,435  $    19,907
Cost of sales       2,789        3,759        3,103     11,856       11,082
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
Gross margin        1,401        1,410        2,453      6,579        8,825
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------

  Gross margin %     33.4%        27.3%        44.2%      35.7%        44.3%

Operating
 expenses
 Research and
  development         386          369          383      1,559        1,351
 Selling,
  marketing and
  administration      650          567          705      2,604        2,400
 Amortization         152          146          125        571          438
 Impairment of
  goodwill            355            -            -        355            -
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
                    1,543        1,082        1,213      5,089        4,189
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------

Income (Loss)
 from operations     (142)         328        1,240      1,490        4,636

 Investment
  income, net           5            2            3         21            8
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------

Income (Loss)
 before income
 taxes               (137)         330        1,243      1,511        4,644

Provision for
 (recovery of)
 income taxes         (12)          65          309        347        1,233

                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
Net income
 (loss)         $    (125) $       265  $       934  $   1,164  $     3,411
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------


Earnings (loss)
 per share
  Basic         $   (0.24) $      0.51  $      1.79  $    2.22  $      6.36
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
  Diluted       $   (0.24) $      0.51  $      1.78  $    2.22  $      6.34
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------
                ------------------------------------ -----------------------


Weighted-average
 number of
 common shares
 outstanding
 (000's)
  Basic           524,160      524,139      522,764    524,101      535,986
  Diluted         524,160      524,139      524,334    524,190      538,330

Total common
 shares
 outstanding
 (000's)          524,160      524,160      523,869    524,160      523,869



                         Research In Motion Limited
                   Incorporated under the Laws of Ontario
   (United States dollars, in millions except per share data) (unaudited)

                        Consolidated Balance Sheets


                                                     March 3,  February 26,
As at                                                    2012          2011
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assets
Current
  Cash and cash equivalents                       $     1,527   $     1,791
  Short-term investments                                  247           330
  Accounts receivable, net                              3,062         3,955
  Other receivables                                       496           324
  Inventories                                           1,027           618
  Income taxes receivable                                 135             -
  Other current assets                                    365           241
  Deferred income tax asset                               197           229
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                        7,056         7,488

Long-term investments                                     337           577
Property, plant and equipment, net                      2,748         2,504
Goodwill                                                  304           508
Intangible assets, net                                  3,286         1,798
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                  $    13,731   $    12,875
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 ---------------------------


Liabilities
 Current
  Accounts payable                                $       744   $       832
  Accrued liabilities                                   2,382         2,511
  Income taxes payable                                      -           179
  Deferred revenue                                        263           108
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                        3,389         3,630
Deferred income tax liability                             232           276
Income taxes payable                                       10            31
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                        3,631         3,937
                                                 ---------------------------

Shareholders' Equity
Capital stock and additional paid-in capital            2,446         2,359
Treasury stock                                           (299)         (160)
Retained earnings                                       7,913         6,749
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)              40           (10)
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                       10,100         8,938
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                  $    13,731   $    12,875
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 ---------------------------



                        Research In Motion Limited
                  Incorporated under the Laws of Ontario
  (United States dollars, in millions except per share data) (unaudited)

                  Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows

                                              For the year ended
                                    --------------------------------------


                                        March 3. 2012   February 26, 2011
--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Cash flows from operating activities
Net income                           $          1,164  $            3,411

Adjustments to reconcile net income
 to net cash provided by
operating activities:
 Amortization                                   1,523                 927
 Deferred income taxes                             (5)                 92
 Income taxes payable                             (21)                  2
 Stock-based compensation                          97                  72
 Impairment of goodwill                           355                   -
 Other                                              9                   1
Net changes in working capital items             (210)               (496)
                                    --------------------------------------
Net cash provided by operating
 activities                                     2,912               4,009
                                    --------------------------------------

Cash flows from investing activities
Acquisition of long-term investments             (355)               (784)
Proceeds on sale or maturity of
 long-term investments                            376                 893
Acquisition of property, plant and
 equipment                                       (902)             (1,039)
Acquisition of intangible assets               (2,217)               (557)
Business acquisitions, net of cash
 acquired                                        (226)               (494)
Acquisition of short-term
 investments                                     (250)               (503)
Proceeds on sale or maturity of
 short-term investments                           550                 786
                                    --------------------------------------
Net cash used in investing
 activities                                    (3,024)             (1,698)
                                    --------------------------------------

Cash flows from financing activities
Issuance of common shares                           9                  67
Tax deficiencies related to stock-
 based compensation                                (2)                 (1)
Purchase of treasury stock                       (156)                (76)
Common shares repurchased                           -              (2,077)
                                    --------------------------------------
Net cash used in financing
 activities                                      (149)             (2,087)
                                    --------------------------------------
Effect of foreign exchange gain
 (loss) on cash and cash equivalents               (3)                 16
                                    --------------------------------------

Net increase (decrease) in cash and
 cash equivalents for the period                 (264)                240
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning
 of period                                      1,791               1,551
                                    --------------------------------------
Cash and cash equivalents, end of
 period                              $          1,527  $            1,791
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    --------------------------------------


As at                                   March 3, 2012   November 26, 2011
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cash and cash equivalents            $          1,527  $            1,123
Short-term investments                            247                 184
Long-term investments                             337                 195
                                    --------------------------------------
                                     $          2,111  $            1,502
                                    --------------------------------------
                                    --------------------------------------

  • Canada Surpasses 10 Million Smartphone Users

    According to a report by eMarketer, smartphone users in Canada will surpass 10 million in 2012, while the penetration rate will grow closer to 50%.

    canada chart

    eMarketer also predicts that Canada will rival the U.S. in smartphone users, in regards to percentages against all mobile phone users in both countries in 2012, at 46% vs. 47.7% respectively.

    Still, regarding total smartphone users by country, Canada has far less, proportionate to its population. In 2012, Canada will have 10.5 million smartphone users, and the U.S. will have 115.8 million. eMarketer predicts that Canada will have 16.4 million smartphone users by 2016.

    In a recent report, Apple’s iPhone has finally gotten the upper hand on the Ontario-based RIM’s Blackberry in Canada – Canadians bought 800,000 more iPhones than Blackberrys in 2011. This might seem like a small number, but not in the Canadian market – 2.85 million vs. 2.08 million in sales is a wide margin in a country with a population of 34 million.

  • RIM Giving Developers Next BlackBerry In May

    Poor RIM, they have been nothing but down lately. The company is hoping to make a turnaround in a big way with their new handset release. Developers will find out before anybody else if their new product could truly turn the company’s fortunes around.

    Bloomberg is reporting that developers will be receiving RIM BlackBerry prototypes in May. About 2,000 of the devices will end up in the hands of developers at the BlackBerry Jam conference in Orlando, Florida. Alec Saunders, RIM’s vice-president of developer relations, said it’s a “huge step on our path to eventually launching BB10.”

    This is coming on the news that Apple is finally selling more iPhones than BlackBerry devices in Canada. While that was definitely a major blow for the company, they have been on the downward spiral for a few years now.

    In January, RIM hired a new CEO after the two former CEOs stepped down after an embarrassing global outage of BlackBerry phones that affected millions of users. To make matters worse, RIM is now facing a class action lawsuit for those same outages.

    As perhaps a way to make up for all of this, RIM offered free apps, announced new products and even created a super hero team to combat the negative press. It doesn’t really seem that none of it is working. A recent study of mobile development trends has BlackBerry developer interest even below that of Windows Phone.

    From all this negativity, it’s obvious that RIM needs a hit to get back in the game and they’re hoping that BlackBerry 10 is that hit. We got our first look at the device at the beginning of February. The BB10 from the image looks like your average touch-interface smartphone. If they’re hoping to get back into the game, they had better bring something better than just improved hardware. They need the OS and software in the form of apps to prove they can still compete in a world that already has iOS, Android and Windows 7 (soon to be Windows 8 phone) all vying for market supremacy.

    Regardless, I’m a “glass half-full” kind of guy and I still have a soft spot in my heart for my old BlackBerry phone. It had one of the best QWERTY keyboards of any mobile device on the market. Even if the new BlackBerry is a bust, they can always sell, right?

  • Apple Beats BlackBerry In RIM’s Backyard

    Apple Beats BlackBerry In RIM’s Backyard

    In the years since Apple first unveiled the iPhone in 2007, things have been getting steadily worse for Research In Motion, the makers of the once-ubiquitous BlackBerry line of smartphones. As the iPhone and Android-based smartphones have become more popular, BlackBerry has long considerable ground in the market in which it once held near-absolute hegemony.

    There has always been one market, however, where BlackBerry still reigned supreme: Canada. RIM is based in Ontario, and throughout the company’s struggles they have always managed to sell more BlackBerrys in Canada than Apple has sold iPhones. Until now. A recent report from Bloomberg shows that Canadians bought nearly 800,000 more iPhones than BlackBerrys. in 2011. Though 800,000 may not seem like a lot in terms of smartphone sales, it’s actually extremely significant: Apple sold 2.85 million iPhones in Canada in 2011, while RIM sold 2.08 BlackBerrys. That means that Apple nearly sold half again as many phones as RIM in RIM’s own backyard.

    Though losing to iPhone on RIM’s home turf no doubt stings, it is just the most recent of several blows the company has received in recent months. As data has surfaced showing Android and iPhone trouncing BlackBerry (and everyone else, really) in market share, other reports have shown that those platforms are also coming to be favored by IT professionals. Considering that BlackBerry once owned the enterprise market, that has to hurt, especially when businesses and organizations start making move that prove BlackBerry’s decline. In 2012 alone Halliburton, the NOAA, and the ATF have all begun abandoning the BlackBerry platform in favor of iOS.

    Though the leadership of new CEO Thorsten Heins and the launch of the much-anticipated BlackBerry 10 may yet serve to turn the company around, it is getting increasingly difficult to remain optimistic.

    What do you think? Can BlackBerry turn things around and become competitive with iOS and Android again? Let us know in the comments.

  • What About BlackBerry Mobile Device Management?

    Research in Motion (RIM) has released a statement regarding their mobile device management solutions and where the company is headed in general. They seek to inform their consumers that they aren’t out of the game, but adapting and providing new services that better suit the needs of enterprise clients today.

    In the following statement they address their current BlackBerry Enterprise Server and mobile device management (MDM) for the future:

    “Organizations are under pressure to support a wide variety of devices from multiple manufacturers, as well as multiple form factors, with tablets gaining steam as business tools. As a longstanding pillar of MDM in the enterprise, we’ve worked to provide a clean, simple, and secure solution to help you manage whatever gets thrown your way. This is BlackBerry Mobile Fusion.”

    So they’ve replaced their old service with the comprehensive new BlackBerry Fusion. RIM comments:

    “It’s a huge leap forward for device management, and it’s built on the valued security model introduced with BlackBerry Enterprise Server. The evolution of BlackBerry Enterprise Server is BlackBerry Mobile Fusion.”

    RIM has integrated all the Blackberry corporate data security features that users have enjoyed in the past with new technology and have added iOS and Android to their management system as well. They claim it will interface seamlessly with all of these devices and provide users with an enhanced experience that can be trusted to deliver by even the most discerning IT professionals.

    RIM comments on the addition of other devices to their management systems:

    “BlackBerry Mobile Fusion supports the latest MDM capabilities available in iOS and Android, and is designed to enable administrators to apply corporate policies and configurations to manage and secure these devices. Additionally, customers will be able to leverage the application management capabilities of BlackBerry Mobile Fusion to manage the distribution of mobile applications to employees on these platforms.”

    So it seems they have plans to stick around despite the declining popularity of BlackBerry products and services. It could be their new platform could help revive their brand or at the very least entice existing clients to stick with them. It helps that they can interface with other devices now.

    We’ll have to wait and see how this all pans out for RIM and their BlackBerry branded products. Apple seems like it is the new enterprise leader so it all depends on how they can compete with them and make their products more attractive. Right now, that’s a lofty challenge.

  • ATF To Switch From BlackBerry To iPhone

    ATF To Switch From BlackBerry To iPhone

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives has become the most recent organization to abandon Research In Motion’s BlackBerry platform in favor of Apple’s iPhone. According to a recent interview, the agency is planning to “delete the BlackBerry from the mix” of devices they officially support.

    According to the interview, which was published in Politico, the replacement of the agency’s 3,800 BlackBerry devices should be complete within the year. About 60% of the BlackBerry devices will be replaced with iPhones. The transition is apparently set to begin this month.

    To say that things have not been going well for BlackBerry platform lately would be a bit of an understatement. Despite the generally well-received recent update to their PlayBook operating system, and the largely positive buzz about the forthcoming BlackBerry OS 10, they continue to suffer significant losses in market share to the Android and iOS platforms in both the consumer and business markets. At the same time, recent research has shown that over a quarter of corporate IT professionals are making plans to replace their organizations’ BlackBerry devices, while another study showed that Apple’s iOS platform was seen as superior to both BlackBerry and Android by nearly a third of IT professionals.

    Nor is the ATF the first organization to make news by abandoning RIM’s troubled ship. At the beginning of February there were reports that Halliburton was making plans to replace its BlackBerry devices with iOS devices. Just a few days later, an internal memo from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration revealed plans to replace its BlackBerrys with iPhones and iPads.

    What do you think? Is BlackBerry on the way out? Does your business still use BlackBerry devices? Let us know in the comments.