1. Zidentia's Avatar
    BlackBerry is indeed in a conundrum. Chasing profits with a nearly empty fiscal tank is what we see John Chen doing. In order to reach their destination they are excising all unneeded portions of the company vehicle. He is likely being as honest and forthright as any Ceo can be. Hardware needs to be profitable and software does as well. Software has a much lower cost structure so the margins are better and the risk optimized.

    Thorstein inherited much of the present platform in play and I would guess it was too late cost wise to cancel the projects. Chen has decided to halt research and design to a trickle until he sees how the enterprise and vertically integrated markets come in as far as growth.

    BlackBerry has one problem that was inherited through the corporate culture. They rarely advertised due to the fact they had momentum and word of mouth. Apple by contrast advertised heavily in the beginning and now do so less when you compare market share and sales versus budget.

    BlackBerry has no option. They have to advertise more even if it is enterprise in the beginning and then straight to the consumer. A great product only sells if the focus demographic has awareness of it.

    Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!
    undone likes this.
    08-04-15 01:13 PM
  2. zodmode247's Avatar
    BlackBerry is indeed in a conundrum. Chasing profits with a nearly empty fiscal tank is what we see John Chen doing. In order to reach their destination they are excising all unneeded portions of the company vehicle. He is likely being as honest and forthright as any Ceo can be. Hardware needs to be profitable and software does as well. Software has a much lower cost structure so the margins are better and the risk optimized.

    Thorstein inherited much of the present platform in play and I would guess it was too late cost wise to cancel the projects. Chen has decided to halt research and design to a trickle until he sees how the enterprise and vertically integrated markets come in as far as growth.

    BlackBerry has one problem that was inherited through the corporate culture. They rarely advertised due to the fact they had momentum and word of mouth. Apple by contrast advertised heavily in the beginning and now do so less when you compare market share and sales versus budget.

    BlackBerry has no option. They have to advertise more even if it is enterprise in the beginning and then straight to the consumer. A great product only sells if the focus demographic has awareness of it.

    Posted via the Android CrackBerry App!
    At this stage of the game it would take more than mere advertising to get blackberry back to it use to be. Apple and android would have to really f@ck up on a mass scale to get people to even think about switching. Blackberry should flood the market outside the US and Canada with phone like the leap or even better the z30, make a limited number of high end phones to test the market with. And really advertise the crap out of the BES12 and the benefits to medium to large businesses. Just my 2cents

    Posted via CB10
    08-04-15 01:45 PM
  3. lnichols's Avatar
    I checked up on this and he's right. Check the quarterly results then do your math.

    Posted via CB10
    I believe the last quarter was the lowest number of Bb10 devices moved, 890,000. They were over a Million the previous and little more the one before that. I saw no increases.

    Posted via Z30
    08-04-15 03:12 PM
  4. GadgetTravel's Avatar
    I believe the last quarter was the lowest number of Bb10 devices moved, 890,000. They were over a Million the previous and little more the one before that. I saw no increases.

    Posted via Z30
    To put that into some perspective, apple is number two, far behind Android. If you take their sales for the quarter, not a day or something but the average over the entire quarter following the release of the iPhone 6 they sold that number of phones in a bit less than 30 hours. Every thirty hours they matched BB quarterly sales as number 2
    08-04-15 04:55 PM
  5. lnichols's Avatar
    To put that into some perspective, apple is number two, far behind Android. If you take their sales for the quarter, not a day or something but the average over the entire quarter following the release of the iPhone 6 they sold that number of phones in a bit less than 30 hours. Every thirty hours they matched BB quarterly sales as number 2
    Yep and at a $687 ASP, dwarfing BlackBerry ASP, and Android for that matter.

    Posted via Z30
    08-04-15 05:10 PM
  6. abwan11's Avatar
    Pointing to the past and laying blame is easy, but how about coming up with a hard solution that is going to drive millions (overnight) to the platform. That's what everyone wants from Chen, but is it possible? Or plausible? With all the CB geniuses, I haven't heard of such an idea through the forums, nor have I been able to contribute a solution of my own , even in theory. It's a tough job, by any measurement, past or present , Keep smiling and hold firm with a positive attitude, I know that means a lot, just paying attention to something has an influence on it. Let's keep it going, if we want it to survive.

    Posted via CB10
    08-04-15 05:20 PM
  7. lnichols's Avatar
    Pointing to the past and laying blame is easy, but how about coming up with a hard solution that is going to drive millions (overnight) to the platform. That's what everyone wants from Chen, but is it possible? Or plausible? With all the CB geniuses, I haven't heard of such an idea through the forums, nor have I been able to contribute a solution of my own , even in theory. It's a tough job, by any measurement, past or present , Keep smiling and hold firm with a positive attitude, I know that means a lot, just paying attention to something has an influence on it. Let's keep it going, if we want it to survive.

    Posted via CB10
    There is not going to be an overnight solution. A lot of damage has been done to the brand. The first thing that needs to happen is remove the app issue. Not an easy task, but the OS can't gain acceptance without apps. Once that is addressed they need to make phones that the mainstream want, and that isn't the Classic or Passport. These can be secondary focus devices, but the mainstream expects all touch. Once those are addressed, then BlackBerry needs to go on a consumer education in initiative. They need to disassociate the name BlackBerry from BBOS, and inform people there is a new OS, that it is different and better, and admit that the BBOS experience turned many off after the iPhone and Android. People need to know that battery pulls and spinning clocks and rebooting after every app install or upgrade. This will not be fast, and their is no shortcut. Chen has finally admitted that consumers are the business users, and he has to have something that appeals to consumers in a recent interview, now he has to deliver.

    Now the bad news, I don't think Chen wants hardware to succeed. All of his moves have moved them further to the fringe, and the sales numbers show that the fringe is small, and shrinking. BlackBerry is slow to respond, so I don't see anything good happening for a while. It took them a year to develop a Q10 with a tool belt, and a Z10 with a 5" screen and less sensors and capabilities. They need to leverage their smaller size and partnerships and get nimble.

    Posted via Z30
    08-04-15 06:41 PM
  8. GadgetTravel's Avatar
    There is not going to be an overnight solution. A lot of damage has been done to the brand. The first thing that needs to happen is remove the app issue. Not an easy task, but the OS can't gain acceptance without apps. Once that is addressed they need to make phones that the mainstream want, and that isn't the Classic or Passport. These can be secondary focus devices, but the mainstream expects all touch. Once those are addressed, then BlackBerry needs to go on a consumer education in initiative. They need to disassociate the name BlackBerry from BBOS, and inform people there is a new OS, that it is different and better, and admit that the BBOS experience turned many off after the iPhone and Android. People need to know that battery pulls and spinning clocks and rebooting after every app install or upgrade. This will not be fast, and their is no shortcut. Chen has finally admitted that consumers are the business users, and he has to have something that appeals to consumers in a recent interview, now he has to deliver.

    Now the bad news, I don't think Chen wants hardware to succeed. All of his moves have moved them further to the fringe, and the sales numbers show that the fringe is small, and shrinking. BlackBerry is slow to respond, so I don't see anything good happening for a while. It took them a year to develop a Q10 with a tool belt, and a Z10 with a 5" screen and less sensors and capabilities. They need to leverage their smaller size and partnerships and get nimble.

    Posted via Z30
    I agree more or less about the steps but I don't see how they remove the app problem without switching to full Android, which I think they should do. The other issue is maybe Chen sees they have to do what you said, but realizes they don't have the resources to do it.
    08-04-15 07:17 PM
  9. lnichols's Avatar
    I agree more or less about the steps but I don't see how they remove the app problem without switching to full Android, which I think they should do. The other issue is maybe Chen sees they have to do what you said, but realizes they don't have the resources to do it.
    I don't think Android will fix anything unless it is implement with Bb10 via the Hypervisor. Android OEM's work on razor thing margins, and the BlackBerry brand can't compete with Samsung or the established brands even with a PKB. The market for PKB simply isn't big enough to sustain a company now, whether it is a device running Bb10 or Android. I for one will be done with the brand if they go full Android. Other OEM'S can do it better and cheaper, and in the end it is still a poor man's iOS and second fiddle on developer's depth charts.

    Posted via Z30
    08-04-15 07:34 PM
  10. DrBoomBotz's Avatar
    They need to disassociate the name BlackBerry from BBOS, and inform people there is a new OS, that it is different and better, and admit that the BBOS experience turned many off after the iPhone and Android. People need to know that battery pulls and spinning clocks and rebooting after every app install or upgrade.
    Competing with your own ghost is worse than pointless, so don't mention the old Blackberry foibles.
    Focus on the New Blackberry and why its the best and the coolest.
    For bonus points actually be the best and coolest.

    Example:
    Some attractive/charming guy/girl(pick your preference) from college that you don't remember at all bumps into you at the DMV.
    If they remind you that they stalked your room-mate, you probably won't ask them out.
    08-04-15 07:34 PM
  11. GadgetTravel's Avatar
    I don't think Android will fix anything unless it is implement with Bb10 via the Hypervisor. Android OEM's work on razor thing margins, and the BlackBerry brand can't compete with Samsung or the established brands even with a PKB. The market for PKB simply isn't big enough to sustain a company now, whether it is a device running Bb10 or Android. I for one will be done with the brand if they go full Android. Other OEM'S can do it better and cheaper, and in the end it is still a poor man's iOS and second fiddle on developer's depth charts.

    Posted via Z30
    I don't understand the technical issues of Hypervisor. But unless I can go to the Google Play store and get any app I want and it will work, the app issue is still there. If Hypervisor solves that fine.
    08-04-15 07:43 PM
  12. lnichols's Avatar
    Competing with your own ghost is worse than pointless, so don't mention the old Blackberry foibles.
    Focus on the New Blackberry and why its the best and the coolest.
    For bonus points actually be the best and coolest.

    Example:
    Some attractive/charming guy/girl(pick your preference) from college that you don't remember at all bumps into you at the DMV.
    If they remind you that they stalked your room-mate, you probably won't ask them out.
    Or an example to counter this is Cadillac's "Not your Father's Cadillac" commercials to try to attract a younger audience. Cadillac brand was synonymous with large, poor handling boats. They ran commercials showing great handling, sporty models and then ran the catch phrase. GM is doing this with Buick now too.

    I think some good adds would be to throw a curve up on the screen and saying this is what you think BlackBerry is, then throw up a sharp all touch device and show it running a bunch of apps, videos etc. and then say this is what BlackBerry is, Not your boss's BlackBerry! A little self-deprecating humor can go a long way.

    Posted via Z30
    ubizmo likes this.
    08-04-15 07:49 PM
  13. lnichols's Avatar
    I don't understand the technical issues of Hypervisor. But unless I can go to the Google Play store and get any app I want and it will work, the app issue is still there. If Hypervisor solves that fine.
    Agreed on Google Play Services needed or the hypervisor is worthless. It is technically possible, but Google would have to allow it. No matter what the OHA Nazis in here say, they don't have a solid document to point to, and Google owns the OHA. We'll see by the end of the year what the solution finally is, but that may be too late for some of us tired of waiting on BlackBerry to deliver an all touch upgrade.

    Posted via Z30
    08-04-15 07:54 PM
  14. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Agreed on Google Play Services needed or the hypervisor is worthless. It is technically possible, but Google would have to allow it. No matter what the OHA Nazis in here say, they don't have a solid document to point to, and Google owns the OHA. We'll see by the end of the year what the solution finally is, but that may be too late for some of us tired of waiting on BlackBerry to deliver an all touch upgrade.

    Posted via Z30
    That is because it is a confidential agreement.... most of what everyone knows about it is when Google has come in and laid down the law and stopped members from veering away from the agreement. (like stopping all those dual booting Android/Windows devices)

    I do believe that Google can do pretty much what they want..... what I don't believe is that BlackBerry has anything of value to offer Google to justify them pissing off their best customers for a "nobody". Even if BlackBerry offered them all 30 Million of their existing users.... that is nothing compared to what HTC, Samsung and the other big OHA players have to offer on a yearly basis.

    If Google truly wants a secure version of Android, and BlackBerry has the "key" to doing that.... It would be much cheaper to buy BlackBerry and incorporate that technology and release their own Android Secure version that any OHA member could then market along with standard Android.

    While I understand that Apple is eating Google's lunch in the Business Market... I don't think security has anything to do with that. If it does, Android M along with Android for Work and some of the KNOX technology that Google has incorporated. Will most likely take care of that.

    But as you said... time will tell what happens, we might all be shocked with what they come up with.
    08-05-15 07:57 AM
  15. lnichols's Avatar
    That is because it is a confidential agreement.... most of what everyone knows about it is when Google has come in and laid down the law and stopped members from veering away from the agreement. (like stopping all those dual booting Android/Windows devices)

    I do believe that Google can do pretty much what they want..... what I don't believe is that BlackBerry has anything of value to offer Google to justify them pissing off their best customers for a "nobody". Even if BlackBerry offered them all 30 Million of their existing users.... that is nothing compared to what HTC, Samsung and the other big OHA players have to offer on a yearly basis.

    If Google truly wants a secure version of Android, and BlackBerry has the "key" to doing that.... It would be much cheaper to buy BlackBerry and incorporate that technology and release their own Android Secure version that any OHA member could then market along with standard Android.

    While I understand that Apple is eating Google's lunch in the Business Market... I don't think security has anything to do with that. If it does, Android M along with Android for Work and some of the KNOX technology that Google has incorporated. Will most likely take care of that.

    But as you said... time will tell what happens, we might all be shocked with what they come up with.
    BlackBerry isn't worth what Prem would want to sell it for to get his money back, so in a sense the company is not for sale. Not because of any high lofty values, or BlackBerry believes they can go it alone, but because if they sold it even at an elevated price, most people would lose their shirt. Since it "isn't for sale" fo fo price that reflects the actual value, Google would probably partner/license the technology, wait for Chen to drive the car fully in the ditch like he is doing, and buy what you want in liquidation. Basically BlackBerry's board isn't going to take less than $10 Billion, and the company isn't even worth half of that right now.

    Posted via Z30
    asherN likes this.
    08-05-15 08:17 AM
  16. DrBoomBotz's Avatar
    Or an example to counter this is Cadillac's "Not your Father's Cadillac" commercials to try to attract a younger audience. Cadillac brand was synonymous with large, poor handling boats. They ran commercials showing great handling, sporty models and then ran the catch phrase. GM is doing this with Buick now too.

    I think some good adds would be to throw a curve up on the screen and saying this is what you think BlackBerry is, then throw up a sharp all touch device and show it running a bunch of apps, videos etc. and then say this is what BlackBerry is, Not your boss's BlackBerry! A little self-deprecating humor can go a long way.

    Posted via Z30
    I watched one of the Buick adds and I think they are pretty lousy. I like the new Buicks though.
    08-05-15 04:09 PM
  17. nt300's Avatar
    Do you mean this proof?

    http://forums.crackberry.com/armchai...l#post11723370

    nt300 you are an incredible person.
    BB10 sales went down last quarter. The 3 previous quarters, BB10 was exceeding BB7 in sales which is a positive sign. The problem here is no marketing. People still associate BlackBerry as BB7 and not as the new award winning BB10. If people don't know BB10 exists how can they sell the phones? In that respect Chen is completely clueless.
    08-06-15 01:37 PM
  18. DrBoomBotz's Avatar
    BB10 sales went down last quarter. The 3 previous quarters, BB10 was exceeding BB7 in sales which is a positive sign. The problem here is no marketing. People still associate BlackBerry as BB7 and not as the new award winning BB10. If people don't know BB10 exists how can they sell the phones? In that respect Chen is completely clueless.
    And that folks is an nt300 "fact".
    Last edited by DrBoomBotz; 08-06-15 at 02:45 PM.
    MarsupilamiX likes this.
    08-06-15 01:43 PM
  19. asherN's Avatar
    BB10 sales went down last quarter. The 3 previous quarters, BB10 was exceeding BB7 in sales which is a positive sign. The problem here is no marketing. People still associate BlackBerry as BB7 and not as the new award winning BB10. If people don't know BB10 exists how can they sell the phones? In that respect Chen is completely clueless.
    For the love of all that is holy, the problem IS NOT marketing. Thy could market the snot out of the brand. When consumers realize they can't just click on the play store to get the app they want, they won't buy the phone.
    08-06-15 02:51 PM
  20. lnichols's Avatar
    BB10 sales went down last quarter. The 3 previous quarters, BB10 was exceeding BB7 in sales which is a positive sign. The problem here is no marketing. People still associate BlackBerry as BB7 and not as the new award winning BB10. If people don't know BB10 exists how can they sell the phones? In that respect Chen is completely clueless.
    Bb10 sales have been going down every quarter for the last few, and maybe every quarter after the second one of full availability where they moved about 3 to 4 Million. They sold more BB10 phones with the for sale sign out front then they have any quarter under Chen I think. Exceeding BBOS sales that are dropping like a rock doesn't mean BB10 sales are improving. If Chairman Chen's prediction were true, all those BBOS users should have been jumping to the Classic, but that was a load of...

    Posted via Z30
    08-06-15 03:10 PM
  21. Tre Lawrence's Avatar
    For the love of all that is holy, the problem IS NOT marketing. Thy could market the snot out of the brand. When consumers realize they can't just click on the play store to get the app they want, they won't buy the phone.
    Bingo.

    The need to blame marketing is contrived.

    Check out the Fire Phone, a well-marketed device with the best potential in recent times.
    08-06-15 03:36 PM
  22. Dunt Dunt Dunt's Avatar
    Bingo.

    The need to blame marketing is contrived.

    Check out the Fire Phone, a well-marketed device with the best potential in recent times.
    Yes they marketed that phone all the way to Christmas and still I don't know of anyone that bought one. But when you have an OS that is buggy and bloated with terrible battery life, when you app store is not being supported (check the dates on some of the big apps), and when your trying to selling outside of the normal (in the US it is still carriers) channels, at prices that are a little high... it really doesn't matter how much marketing you do.

    Too be honest I still expect Amazon to at some point embrace full Android, as their app situation is killing their tablet business.
    08-06-15 03:51 PM
  23. terminatorx's Avatar
    I have never felt resting on one's laurels is much use, but I'll throw one at you. In a past career, I was the architect, lead engineer, and project manager of a system that revolutionized an aspect of mass transport, and did it for the largest transport of it's type at the time. It took a team of 50 over 2 years to engineer and implement. It's still in use 16 years later. I certainly delivered value on the dollar to those stockholders.
    Hoo wah. Is this the after-dinner story you tell your friends Sunday nights?

    If you been using android or apple for at least 5 yes, I seriously doubt you're going to go to a completely different platform.
    Many if not all were using BlackBerry pre-2007 for at least 5 years. How come they switched? If it can happen then, it can happen anytime again.


    This approach never works. Insulting us. It's a forum, it's about ideas, it's about managed conflict, it's about BS. It's not about real life or linkedin.
    I would hire a fry cook from Burger King before Chen any day.
    You're really missing the point. Absolutely missing the point. This is about constructive criticism. Many of us are heavily invested in the BB10 platform.
    In this case it would be prudent to put HW and OS part of the company for sale, instead letting it wither and die.
    For the love of all that is holy, the problem IS NOT marketing. Thy could market the snot out of the brand. When consumers realize they can't just click on the play store to get the app they want, they won't buy the phone.
    There seems to be a lot of Burger King employees visiting this site! LOL
    08-06-15 06:24 PM
  24. missing_K-W's Avatar
    Hoo wah. Is this the after-dinner story you tell your friends Sunday nights?



    Many if not all were using BlackBerry pre-2007 for at least 5 years. How come they switched? If it can happen then, it can happen anytime again.












    There seems to be a lot of Burger King employees visiting this site! LOL
    Great. Insult us and add nothing to the thread.

    I personally am an entrepreneur. PS you shouldn't insult those who have minimum wage jobs.

    Sent via Passport!
    08-06-15 08:50 PM
  25. terminatorx's Avatar
    Hey don't take it personally. Even bbdj92651 said it's not about real life. :P
    missing_K-W likes this.
    08-06-15 09:34 PM
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