The secret to RIM's Success? Keyboards

[Charlie_V]

It seems to me that Blackberry should really be in heaven with its upcoming phones. For years the mantra was "make it smaller, make it thinner." With few exceptions, the past few years' RIM offerings have sacrificed battery life and keyboard size--two of their best features (the third being security). Now phones are getting bigger again. I may have imagined it, but I recall reading about an upcoming Android phone with a 4.65 inch screen! WOW! Imagine the battery life and keyboard on a RIM device that gets even a little close to that size?

I think most agree that the best RIM keyboard was the 9000. I really remember that device as EASY to use, with the exception of the skippy trackball. Now, if RIM produced devices that size or bigger with room for a great battery and keyboard I'd be back in a New York minute. Add QNX (slick appearance, nice browser), some playbook like specs, and the traditional security/messaging features and you have a real winner. Some apps would be nice, but I think you have to have a successful platform to attract developers and not the other way around.

Anyone disagree?

[jemelanthony]

you've got some great points here, RIM's certainly got the formula for success...its just a matter of listening to consumer demand

[audiodude]

The only thing I can think to add is: MARKET THE DANG THING!!

Even the greatest device will get lost in the hype of Apple/Android unless they get better in that area.

[Charlie_V]

Originally Posted by audiodude

The only thing I can think to add is: MARKET THE DANG THING!!

Even the greatest device will get lost in the hype of Apple/Android unless they get better in that area.

Yep; that's a serious problem. The last time I remember Blackberry really pushing a device in an Apple-esque way is the Torch. Being released a few weeks before the iPhone 4. FLOP for obvious reasons. Before that, the Storm. FLOP. Then the original Bold (9000). SUCCESS. I think the difference is that the original Bold was really a step forward, while the Torch was a Frankenstein hodge-podge of existing devices (slider, touch screen, 9700 keyboard but flatter and therefore inferior, small battery... UG, hurts to remember). The Storm was a leap, but it was poorly executed.

It seems that RIM fails when it tries to take a business platform and appeal to a group that wants to watch movies and play games. RIM had a chance at that when BB was cool and hip, but that was a long, long time ago.

[rdkempt]

Everyone already knows what a Blackberry phone is... marketing the same thing over and over isn't going to help generate awareness - people are already aware of the product(s). RIM needs to do a little bit of innovating, and revolutionize their product to generate hype. Marketing these days is done through social media and the blogosphere. Impress them and you've got all the free marketing your product will ever need.

[mikos]

Hardware is one way to compete but why is the iPhone so sucessful when it doesn't have the best and biggest screen, 4G/LTE, dual core, or any other leading edge tech specs. If you look at Android, they are winning the hardware arms race and doing well, but the iPhone gets the lion share of press.

Apple is hardly ever first with anything but they often to it better or at least market it better than anyone else. But for me, the winner is the OS. It does work quite nicely.

And that is what RIM needs to focus on. A tightly knit experience with well though out cross app functionality. Simple things like seeing all the recent activities with a contact on the contact record is a great example. Simple but effective.

RIM needs to focus on workflow and how people might use the phone with different abilities. Integrating the maps, contacts, email, phone, texting, and other apps is as critical as the hardware.

The bigger issue that is facing RIM and Android for that matter is the cloud. It's that linking of apps, documents, and media across all devices that is the hook for these companies. This is where I see Microsoft coming from behind to compete nicely. Phones, tablets, and PC's, with the ability to see all stuff on all three without having to remember to do anything. Should be interesting...

[Calotag]

Originally Posted by rdkempt

Everyone already knows what a Blackberry phone is... marketing the same thing over and over isn't going to help generate awareness - people are already aware of the product(s). RIM needs to do a little bit of innovating, and revolutionize their product to generate hype. Marketing these days is done through social media and the blogosphere. Impress them and you've got all the free marketing your product will ever need.

Everyone already knows apple and yet they get on the advertinsing wagon.
I think its a combination of things. I think RIM needs to stick to what they do best and just improove, just like apple.
All that triple dual qudruple core and a gizillion megapixel camera look good on paper, but when u put it all together it flops. Apple has been lagging behind in terms of specs and yet the ipad 1 kicks a whole bunch of tblets out there with gingerbread or honeycoomb.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[pblakk]

Reality: bb is not consumer friendly AMIDST a vast selection of multi-faceted droids, and the iphone. RIM now has gotten that much narrower in reach. Seems like it's all about either HEAVY BBM/email (obvious superiority) use and/or bb qwerty loyalists. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[CosmicHeretic]

Competitors are seeing keyboards as a target and releasing up to date hardware with them. Examples are the Droid 4 and Galaxy Glide. The horizontal form factor also allows for a larger screen and keys.

[mithrazor]

Keyboards are NOT the reason for their success.

It's the reason for many people to stick with Blackberry sure. But not the reason for their success.