RIM behind in hardware?

[Silverfern]

I have noticed something, it seems like other smart phone manufactures release phones at similar times or early than RIM, while having better hardware, such as dual core, more memory, RAM and battery power while having similar price points.

To be honest, i feel what RIM is offering is plenty power to run all the stuff i need to, but the problem is teenagers and young people do not feel that way. they want to be able to tell their friends they have the fastest CPU, most memory, longest battery life, largest screen.

I also know that RIM makes their phones in places like mexico, hungary and canada, and their labour record is better than like foxconn and other manufactures who makes their phones in china and drive their factory workers towards suicide. But i don't think 90% of the people sees that and probably dont care anyways. they just want that coolest and latest gadget

so my question is, why does RIM not put better hardware in blackberry? With a smaller app count and losing market share in the US (i know they are gaining in asia), shouldnt they put in better hardware into the phones to cater to the more "shallow" members of our society?

p.s. dont get me wrong, i am not bashing RIM, i use ONLY blackberries and RIM products, and will not considering switching.

[eve6er69]

Nope if rim started putting in non properly tested processors then their battery problems would plague them further into the ground. They're known for 5 things. Security,keyboard,reliability,bbm and battery life. Sacrifice one or 2 of those that's another nail in the coffin.
I think they're doing things just fine in the hw dept.

Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900 using Tapatalk

[Silverfern]

but other phones like the hTC sensation or the galaxy 2 have better hardware, released earlier and also havent heard any stability issues from them. Also i do feel they could work on their battery technology...

[fernandez21]

i dont mist peopke look at processors or ram, they just look at the screen and how fast and well it performs their tasks. i thibk hardware is fine on rims part, what they need is better designs along with a new os, which qill be coming at the end of the year.

[Caymancroc]

They are behind in hardware, especially the camera. It is one of the reasons I left. I was tired of having to carry around a GPS, camera, and laptop. My iPhone replaced all of that.

Also, I now don't have to carry all the supporting cables, bags, chargers, etc for those gadgets. Just a BT keyboard (which I sometimes don't carry because the voice recognition allows me to dictate reports), charger, and HDMI out for presentations.

[Silverfern]

whats wrong with its camera and GPS?

[gbsn]

The only thing RIM needed in OS 6 for a fluid UI was a GPU and a small bump in processing power for web rendering. They took their time (very well criticized) and came up with it in OS 7. The BB OS does not need galactic hardware to run nicely, neither do the apps available for it. They are simple, light on resources, because well, it does not offer anything thats hardware intensive.

QNX on the other hand does need hardware and the software that it will run also needs good hardware. Hence why they will be including 1.5ghz dual cores (rumor?) (entering the galactic hardware realm) with a nice larger full touch screen that will serve better for document handling and the many more other tasks and applications power users and probably non-sole-web-browsing-users will use in the upcoming blackberry 10 phones.

Other platforms have the hardware they have because they offer content that can actually put it to the limits, not because kids want to show off their devices, trust me, apple and android didn't succeed by selling devices to 12 year olds without jobs. You seem to be having some stereotyping problems there.
You also seem to be hating on people that actually want good hardware just because the only thing you do is web browsing, emails and bbm and you are off fine with a OS 4.3 blackberry.

I dont know why you even brought up the manufacturers issue, its like the most obvious troll bait... I bet you think that foxconn only works for apple ignoring that its probably the largest electronic components manufacturer and that they also have manufacturing plants in europe, south america and south asia? or am i wrong in assuming that considering your tone? and the implied meaning that any other phone designer besides RIM hires companies that supposedly have hazardous work environments that kill people? I dont understand what your point is, foxconn also makes computer motherboards and a wide range of other products. Its evil now to buy products made by foxconn, asus, quanta computer and designed by nintendo, sony, apple, samsung, microsoft, dell, toshiba and research in motion, oh shiet... what is RIM doing in that list? i wonder...

[Caymancroc]

The camera on my 9780 was sub par (especially compared to iPhone). The GPS with the BB Maps app was pathetic. I did use the Garmin app, which was okay. Took a while to get a lock. My iPhone is instant. I believe it was a lot more than the $39.99 Garmin for iPhone, too.

The biggest benefit to me is not having to take my laptop anymore. I have everything on my iPhone and really wish RIM would get with the program.

[13echo4]

Some Blackberry users like myself believe Rim. Is using the better hardware for the device in which they are in.
I'm gonna disagree with you just a bit on Blackberrys coming out after other manifactors with "less" hardware. Until 2010 with the 9800 Rim released comparable hardware. When manifactors jumped out with 1 ghz processors rim stayed behind. For what its worth the 9800 did just fine with the 624 mhz cpu.
As a blackberry user I look for fuction not bragging rights.

[Blacklatino]

Originally Posted by Silverfern

but other phones like the hTC sensation or the galaxy 2 have better hardware, released earlier and also havent heard any stability issues from them. Also i do feel they could work on their battery technology...

The one thing that RIM has that no other brand has is longevity with a progressive history to go with it, along with the name BlackBerry. It still stands for something. That's why BlackBerry is doing really well in other countries. People want BlackBerries. My 16 y/o wanted an iPhone for the apps. My two "God-kids" have two 9700s one is 17 and the other is 14. They wanted the functionality of the BlackBerry. I had an IPhone 3G along with an Atrix. So, I'm not opposed to getting something different. The commercial segment is another reason BlackBerry had started the change a few years ago. Right now, getting "faithfuls" to upgrade for every device has already changed prior to the OS 7 devices. IMHO, it's not too late. But, at this stage, when someone is behind and trying to gain ground, the last thing that needs to happen is to lose anymore and RIM can't afford to maintain status quo. So, "ANYTHING" that is released by RIM later this year and next year can't afford to be a grounder to the outfield, it needs to be knocked out of the park- whether the new PlayBook, BB10s, or whatever else.
The "hammer" will be out.

[Silverfern]

Originally Posted by Blacklatino

But, at this stage, when someone is behind and trying to gain ground, the last thing that needs to happen is to lose anymore and RIM can't afford to maintain status quo. So, "ANYTHING" that is released by RIM later this year and next year can't afford to be a grounder to the outfield, it needs to be knocked out of the park- whether the new PlayBook, BB10s, or whatever else.
The "hammer" will be out.

agreed, i think 1.5ghz CPU dual core would be good, but i'd like to see maybe a bit more RAM than 1G?

[Silverfern]

Originally Posted by gbsn

Other platforms have the hardware they have because they offer content that can actually put it to the limits, not because kids want to show off their devices, trust me, apple and android didn't succeed by selling devices to 12 year olds without jobs. You seem to be having some stereotyping problems there.
You also seem to be hating on people that actually want good hardware just because the only thing you do is web browsing, emails and bbm and you are off fine with a OS 4.3 blackberry.

i think you are probably right about foxconn, but i dont see what else you really need to do on a cell phone. I know the other devices offers more content, but i think they are just games right? its not like those additional content are apps used for data crunching that will need a good CPU. from what i've heard, most of those content are pointless apps that you pour hours over and waste your time on

[scottd34]

Originally Posted by Silverfern

but other phones like the hTC sensation or the galaxy 2 have better hardware, released earlier and also havent heard any stability issues from them. Also i do feel they could work on their battery technology...

An android with no stability issues, and decent battery life? What androids have you been using... as someone who has to support them day in and day out I can say that the price people pay for flashy hardware is poor battery life, unstable software and security problems up the wazoo. Read any android forum and youll see what I mean.

[deRusett]

Originally Posted by Silverfern

so my question is, why does RIM not put better hardware in blackberry? With a smaller app count and losing market share in the US (i know they are gaining in asia), shouldnt they put in better hardware into the phones to cater to the more "shallow" members of our society?
.

Profit margins are a big reason
RIM has R&D for software and hardware, though the hardware R&D costs are similar between RIM and Android manufacturers, RIM has far more software related R&D, they also have to test their devices to a higher standard for their security credentials. RIM can't play the one up hardware game and remain profitable,
Samsung is a display manufacturer, which means they are not purchasing displays so their hardware costs are lower Smartphones are an Excellent tool for Samsung as they can test smaller sized screens for things like better DPI, thinner/lighter/cheaper materials before moving to larger screens of tablets, then computer monitors, then TV's it is a wonderful progression for them,

The fact that Apple has the best selling single smartphone on the market says that specs are not the end all be all, RIM has learned they need to be somewhat current with specs, which will lower their margins, but hopefully increase there revenue, and that is what they need to focus on, be relevant but have features/options that the competition doesn't have.