Blackberry will be the new Apple

[mdarscott]

I was in an Apple store over the weekend and it was absolutely crawling with people. I was shocked. We're talking wall to wall on a Sunday afternoon. The person in front of me dropped $3300 for a laptop and external hard drive. My jaw dropped. OK, Apple generally delivers high quality for a high price but still, you can get the same thing for half the price if you can live without the fruit logo.
My impression though was that Apple is at the high-water mark and it will be all down from here. Personally, I am going the opposite way to all those crowds. After buying three iPods and an iPhone over the last few years and being absolutely in love with them, I feel the love wearing off. I offered my wife an iPhone but she wanted BB. When she brought it home I was deeply impressed with how serious it was. My iPhone has felt like a toy ever since. Then I played with the Playbook in the store for about 30 seconds. It blew all other tablets away and I bought one right there.
Now I am looking at the posts about Devcon Europe. RIM has QNX and TAT on board. They are making noises that are music to me. I'm feeling that RIM has bottomed out and it is all up for RIM from here. It might take a year or two, but I foresee a time when people will be as excited again about Blackberry as they are now about Apple.
That is ... if they can learn something about MARKETING!
Anyway, you read it here first: Blackberry will be the new Apple.

[Thunderbuck]

RIM doesn't have to be the "new Apple".

I think being the underdog in a competitive marketplace can have its advantages, though. For one thing, it's easier to innovate. Apple is slowly but surely painting itself into a corner where innovation is going to get harder.

How can they change the physical design of their devices, for instance? There's an iconic look to Apple products now: rectangular, rounded corners, stainless steel, and white or black glass. That's it. They fiddle with that style book at their peril.

The only constraint RIM has is that they'll likely always need to make a keyboard phone, but aside from that they can go where they want. Same goes for UI, where I think RIM has a huge opportunity to do something meaningful with TAT's stuff.

[Economist101]

I find it ironic that commenters spend all day offering distinctions between RIM and Apple, yet when it comes to a corporate comeback they suddenly want to say the two companies are identical. It's truly hilarious.

As for predictions about what will happen a year or two from now, I have none. But if a anyone wants to bet on RIM in two years looking like Apple now, I'll take that bet. Besides, why would RIM want to emulate a "toy" company? I mean, other than the bank balance of course.

[CranBerry413]

Great Post. You've got a great deal of Hope, as do I. But I'd like to see RIM Succeed Apple.

Though, Apple Makes all order of Electronics, RIM makes a specific device, Mobile Computers. The BlackBerry Platform has always been a high end Mobile Computing. And the current devices including the PlayBook are all Solid Pieces of Technology.

[Economist101]

Shouldn't the thread title be "RIM will be the new Apple"?

[f1mx]

I hope you mean popular, but not overpriced, overrated and full of crazy fanboys that don't know what's out there... competition's always healthy

[mdarscott]

Yeah, of course I meant that people will be excited about BB products and see them again as innovative. Not that RIM should copy Apple in any way.

Originally Posted by Economist101

Shouldn't the thread title be "RIM will be the new Apple"?

No, I was not comparing companies, or share prices, or corporate cultures. I was talking about the brands. I foresee a return of the BlackBerry brand.

[SnoozerBold]

I think the problem with a lot of companies is that they're trying to be the new Apple. I don't think you can recreate something like that.

But if you mean make a huge come back from being beat up in the media and a very low stock price and talk of them going under like Apple in the 90s then I wouldn't have a problem with that.

[telex123]

Apple makes good products but markets them even better. They understand there are intangibles that complete a product. Fashion, status, and fullfillment-through-ownership are included in the purchase; people feel good about owning an Apple product. It doesn't matter if the product is not the best. As long as it is 'good enough', the feel-good factors overshadow any minor shortcomings.

I recently accompanied my 16-year-old niece and her parents on a shopping trip for a winter coat. What brand of coat do you think she had in mind? You're right if you replied Canada Goose. A half-grand for a garment that makes you look like an Arctic oil-rigger. The quality is good but I know of several other brands that, for far less money, are superior in materials and appearance. Naturally, none of that matters because then she wouldn't look like all the other oil-riggers in her high-school. Having that red patch on your tent-like jacket says you've arrived, you fit in, you 'get it', and you can afford the best. Even if it isn't truly the best.

The moral of the story is that having a good product only takes you so far. Gift-wrapping your product in the intangibles is what takes you the distance. Apple has mastered this skill; so must RIM. If not, then the future is inevitable and the masses will continue to flock to the Canada Goose of phones and tablets.

Good luck Mr. Heins and choose your next Marketing guru wisely.

[louzer]

Keep calm, Be Bold, and it will happen.

(that tag line is beginning to grow on me:P)

[anthogag]

I'm also really impressed with what I'm seeing in Devcon videos. They're demoing some really incredible stuff on the playbook.

Things are going to come together this year for BlackBerry.

RIM will be the new RIM...

[BB10FTW]

I have no problem with RIM growing in popularity and being seen as a great innovator however if RIM EVER turned into Apple I would never buy their products. I can't stand Apple. Apple is in my eyes a horrible company, maybe not all the employees but the man who lead it to "greatness" (Steve Jobs) was not someone i felt cared much for others.

I do see what you meant and agree that Blackberry will one day be on top or atleast be a strong rival for iOS and Android.

Go RIM Go

[Doc Z]

I also see Apple as a fad whose hype will die out soon. They may be set with the Steve Jobs blueprint for the next couple of years but they'll eventually plateau and even start to decline. That said, I don't believe RIM will ever be a leader in the industry again. They simply don't have the vision and don't know how to market their products. I do see them rising in the next few years, but never again to the dominant position they once held.

[Slash82]

No RIM won´t be the new Apple.
I will never be the new Apple!

RIM will be RIM and that´s good!
People should buy Blackberrys because of it´s quality, formfactor, OS and Serverservice.
Not because it´s hip.

I love RIM for what it is and for my addiction to it!

[Oniberry]

I would settle for RIM just being s new RIM.