[BergerKing]

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[offyoutoddle]

My expectation is that I'd like to be here until the lights go out at least. I say with the current management, and the way BB10 was implemented under par to the previous BBOS devices, it is like watching a slow motion car crash.

I would like it to be different, but the lack of listening going on in waterloo seems to make that little more than blind optimism.

The day they released the 9720 it said quite clearly they realise that bb10 isn't working the way they want it to so far.

Truth is, BBOS has had it's day, but it has not been well served by BB10 as its replacement, and frankly it holds its own against it in 2013 still. Why else would I stay using a Bold 9900 as a matter of choice over a q10?

[nabil114]

I've been a rather passionate BlackBerry fan for the past four years and have loved supporting this company because I truly enjoy the products it produces.

With the recent news that BlackBerry has formed a committee to review strategic alternatives, it seems that many have resigned to the possibility that BlackBerry as we know it won't exist in the near future.

My question is: is there any possible way for BlackBerry to find success under its current strategy, albeit with a few changes? By success, I mean being able to be profitable and maintain its status as an independent, publicly-owned company that produces both hardware and software.

Could a change in current product line-up, as well as more compelling software additions, coupled with huge turn in market direction do anything to reverse their position? Or is it completely out of the company's hands?

Posted via CB10

You cannot have overnight success. I think they can make better products. They can get more applications and better reviews. They will keep improving.

[nabil114]

My expectation is that I'd like to be here until the lights go out at least. I say with the current management, and the way BB10 was implemented under par to the previous BBOS devices, it is like watching a slow motion car crash.

I would like it to be different, but the lack of listening going on in waterloo seems to make that little more than blind optimism.

The day they released the 9720 it said quite clearly they realise that bb10 isn't working the way they want it to so far.

Truth is, BBOS has had it's day, but it has not been well served by BB10 as its replacement, and frankly it holds its own against it in 2013 still. Why else would I stay using a Bold 9900 as a matter of choice over a q10?

They are improving. It is not faster than everyone likes it to be.

[offyoutoddle]

You cannot have overnight success. I think they can make better products. They can get more applications and better reviews. They will keep improving.

How will they keep improving though? By changing the colour in backgrounds in core apps? Not exactly an inspiring bit of progress, they simply upset the other half of the user base instead of thinking 'oh ok, lets give the users a choice'

I'm sorry I don't have the faith in them based on the current track record. I disagree with you I'm afraid - you can have an overnight success if your product is good enough, and you MUST. BB10 isn't good enough- it really is that simple. Whether or not they live long enough to make a success of it depends largely on their ability to listen and respond. Just that single example above does little to inspire my confidence to be honest though.

[leejayh]

This is a great question. I think that there are many ways for Blackberry to be successful - but they will take time and each has varying levels of risk and hence success:

1. Continue on current path and push our better devices and BBM to all - to remind them what Blackberry is about.
Likelihood of success: 10%. BBM will be great and people will love it. But, will it get people to buy Blackberry devices? Can Blackberry moneitze this with advertizing, etc? They can have success - but not enough to power a ~6BN companies need for revenues.

2. Focus on key countries and penetrate like mad: UK, Canada, and some emerging countries. This will get App developers to make Apps for Bb10 in order to have representation in those countries. This might be the way to get global app companies to make apps for Bb10 - but it is hard to really dominate.
Likelihood of success: 25%

3. Sell to the right partner: Lenovo, Samsung, Amazon, or other.
Likelihood of success: 33%.

I like #3 the most because there are engrained competitive forces at work with the Digital Superpowers - and all need to ensure that they do not become too dependent on any other player. Remember - Google thinks of themselves a "destroyers" of industries (look at the GPS market).

If Samsung, Lenovo, Amazon, etc - where to really take a step pack - they would realize that getting to close to Google is a reciepe for disaster. Especially when Google simply decides to change the game (they have done so many time before).

BBRY is a perfect acquisition for an enlightened buyer. Amazon would be my choice. The have the most to gain.

[tack]

I think one of their major goals right now is to roll out bbos 10. And with the soon to be launched cross platform bbm will open an entire new channels of sale and profit!

Sent from my SGH-I957R using CB Forums mobile app

How will they monetize BBM in a meaningful way? I would like to know if they could. Others have a huge head start.

I think they are scrambling to fix BB10 and make it feature complete, much less roll it out. From my experience with a Z10, they rolled it out incomplete and error ridden. I like how everyone says how awesome QNX is and how it won't crash. My Z10 crashes multiple times a day, despite having a QNX kernel.

There are some nice things about BB10, but it needs lots of work, better marketing and apps.

[offyoutoddle]

How will they monetize BBM in a meaningful way? I would like to know if they could. Others have a huge head start.

I think they are scrambling to fix BB10 and make it feature complete, much less roll it out. From my experience with a Z10, they rolled it out incomplete and error ridden. I like how everyone says how awesome QNX is and how it won't crash. My Z10 crashes multiple times a day, despite having a QNX kernel.

There are some nice things about BB10, but it needs lots of work, better marketing and apps.

I don't think monetizing it directly is the plan. Possibly they are just looking for a halo effect - people like what what they see in BBM, and consider going for the full experience with a BB10 based phone on that. Or at the very least they hope that it will stem the haemorrhaging of customers going on currently. One thing is certain, they have to do something as new comers like whatsapp are already stealing their lunch. This move makes sense if you think about it, and is strategic and long term, but is perhaps an 'intangible - it can't be directly measurable in any meaningful or accurate sense yet.

[Rickroller]

I don't think monetizing it directly is the plan. Possibly they are just looking for a halo effect - people like what what they see in BBM, and consider going for the full experience with a BB10 based phone on that. Or at the very least they hope that it will stem the haemorrhaging of customers going on currently. One thing is certain, they have to do something as new comers like whatsapp are already stealing their lunch. This move makes sense if you think about it, and is strategic and long term, but is perhaps an 'intangible - it can't be directly measurable in any meaningful or accurate sense yet.

If they're hoping for a Halo effect.. Then they are even more delusional than I thought. How many people use Facebook? A billion? And how many people ran to buy the Facebook phone? Oh that's right..most people don't even remember that lol..

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

[southlander]

If they're hoping for a Halo effect.. Then they are even more delusional than I thought. How many people use Facebook? A billion? And how many people ran to buy the Facebook phone? Oh that's right..most people don't even remember that lol..

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

But nearly everyone expects a Facebook app to be on their smartphone. So while a whole phone based around BBM is a loser getting pre installs like BlackBerry is doing with Samsung is smart.

Posted via CB10

[BoldPreza]

Yes they can but they need to acknowledge some hard truths.

1) apps do matter.

2) despite diminishing returns for performance, specs matter a lot. Biggest screen fastest processor, how many cores that's what the people want cause when they are buying in a store that's what they are deciding on.

3) Some changes need to be made in how BlackBerry 10 operates. Give people those individual icons for email and so forth so they can choose whether or not to use the hub. Change some of the swipe orientations as they are not that intuitive in some cases.

4) They need real and strategic marketing and better communication with their user base. If you have a user base but you aren't talking too then and I don't mean through a Facebook page then what good is it? Interact with them.

Just my take.

Posted via CB10

[tack]

But nearly everyone expects a Facebook app to be on their smartphone. So while a whole phone based around BBM is a loser getting pre installs like BlackBerry is doing with Samsung is smart.

Posted via CB10

You helped make his point. Facebook is in every phone and when BBM is, what halo effect is there? Everyone will have BBM. There will be no reason to go BB10.

[alexteo]

Better use a Z10 directly in CBR and leave that crap LG and that wormy android.....

Posted via CB10

[Phi Nguyen]

Then why did they announce this now? Food for thought.

because thorstein and the board is set to make millions while crackberry addicts get 600dollar paperweights

(fyi thorstein gets 55m and doesnt have to work a day in his life if he tanks the company and sells and gets fired)

Better use a Z10 directly in CBR and leave that crap LG and that wormy android.....

Posted via CB10

what if some of us use the force to create these posts ?

i use the s4 with airgestures to browse and type with voice commands

[ranzabar]

I don't think that BlackBerry has reached the point of no return. But they do need a keen understanding of the consumer market, a clear vision of what they want to accomplish, the discipline to pursue it, and effective execution.

Some of those things I'm not seeing.

That's absolutely correct. Blackberry's game plan is a failure. It was, and continues to be all about popular apps. You can produce all the hardware you like with the most capable OS, but you won't dent the market if people can't play Words with their Apple and Android friends. Blackberry should be a desirable choice, not an island.

Now what? Hope springs eternal