[@3iza]

For a couple of weeks now the internet has been rife with the impending death of RIM, and while I agree on the need to innovate in some areas, I necessarily don't agree that blackberry devices are inferior (I own an iphone also). Blackberrys are better at actual phone/smartphone stuff (calls, messaging, docs, network reception...to name a few) but may lag behind in variety apps & fun stuff...and maybe OS stability...but that's digressing from the point of this thread.
I read 2 separate reports today that strengthened my belief that RIM is no where near dead.
First, this: http://bit.ly/oOAORX off BGR which shows that iphones out sold BBs by just 1.9% between March and May in the US (put in mind that there hasn't been a new BB model in a while). That's far from claims that RIM's US market share has been eroded.
Second article here: http://bit.ly/qJKpTf states that RIM's market share over 12 weeks prior to June 12th increased to 22.3%, in the UK, while the iphone market share as at June 12th is 18.3%. Android OS peaked at over 45% but that's like at least 6-8 OEM companies (most likely more put together).

So with the above and the rapid growth RIM is experiencing in the EMEA region...67% increase over Q4, 1 million new customers under 3 weeks in this quarter, (I actually do live in Nigeria and work for a telecom company, for every iphone, there are 10-15 or blackberrys on the streets here and 90% of iphone owners here own a blackberry also. Android phones are very few, the popular ones being the HTC desire, desire HD, Sony Ericsson Xperia 10, and a few samsungs all owned by the elite..who own blackberrys too...I digress again), how does any one come to the conclusion that RIM is dead or dying?

Share prices may drop but that has always been a function of perception and speculations, not necessarily fact. While I'll admit that RIM could do a whole lot better and may have missed a few steps, I don't necessarily agree that they are dead or dying...they are growing actually, albeit slower than expected.

I also took the liberty of examining their Q1 numbers for the past 3 years, couldn't spot the out-of-control downward spiral if u do, let me know.


Q1 2010 (2009)*
Q1 2011 (2010)*
Q3 2012 (2011)*

Net income


$643mil
$769mil
$697mil

Revenue


$3.4bil
$4.24bil
$4.9 bil

Earnings per share


$1.12
$1.38
$1.33

Device shipments


10.6 mil
11.2mil
13.2mil (+500k playbooks)

*actual years shown in brackets as RIM runs their financial calendar a year ahead

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[sg8330]

Sensationalism sells.

RIM was never dying.

[lnichols]

Yeah the share price is definitely not matching up with performance of the company. It is all speculation that RIM can't compete. Seems like the market is working on the Ricky Bobby model of "If your not first, your last!". These new phones coming out look great, and should hold them over for the complete transition to QNX handsets next year. How well those handsets are received will determine how RIM goes from there. I can say from my time with the Playbook, IMHO it truly is the most powerful OS on the market.

[ADGrant]

The problem is income dropped, eps dropped, US market share dropped and US sales dropped. It's not all bad but many of the numbers aren't trending in the right direction.

[Fubaz]

The problem is income dropped, eps dropped, US market share dropped and US sales dropped. It's not all bad but many of the numbers aren't trending in the right direction.

and it is basically the USA market that everyone focuses their opinions on.
RIM is budding and growing in many international markets.

[_StephenBB81]

and it is basically the USA market that everyone focuses their opinions on.
RIM is budding and growing in many international markets.

That is US Anal cysts all the way, US market is their focus, and if their is a competitor that is stronger in the US they will always rank that competitor higher.

RIM has continued to grow over the previous year, there has never been a quarter that RIM hasn't shipped more devices than the previous year quarter.

now I don't have the lastest quater on this image, and I'm on the wrong laptop to pull out the excel file that has this data in it for me to add the info but

it is VERY much a under appreciated stock but still a strong company.

[Dapper37]

Big growth in an exploding market. Bring on 7.0 and we will see continued growth exploding!!

[EdwardBlackberryHands]

That is US Anal cysts all the way, US market is their focus, and if their is a competitor that is stronger in the US they will always rank that competitor higher.

RIM has continued to grow over the previous year, there has never been a quarter that RIM hasn't shipped more devices than the previous year quarter.

now I don't have the lastest quater on this image, and I'm on the wrong laptop to pull out the excel file that has this data in it for me to add the info but

it is VERY much a under appreciated stock but still a strong company.

The Irony is in your post and your signature

[BergerKing]

Take a look at the claim of 1 million customers lost in Q1, how many carriers, all the people whose contracts came up for renewal? Of those BlackBerry users, how many of them had an attractive RIM handset to upgrade to? Verizon, biggest CDMA carrier, no new BlackBerry in over a year. Tour and some Bold users coming up on renewal, sales pimping Android like electronic pushers. Or iPhone.

GSM users have had a 9700 refresh with more memory, but that's about it.

Sprint got the Style, an actual 'new' model, and they sold pretty well, but Sprint has had a few Android defections, as well. Flip is only gonna attract a portion of users, especially those with a bias against them.

So for 10 months, we've seen one new device. Android is spreading it's system through multiple carriers and makers, tales of gloom, despair, and agony that RIM is on the ropes abound.

But every good fighter has a bad round or two.

So, back into the corner, patch the cut, and let's get on with the fight.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[_StephenBB81]

The Irony is in your post and your signature

I truly am at a loss seeing the Irony...

[SCrid2000]

Refreshing, another crackberrian who gets it.

Sent from my NookColor using Tapatalk

[DDON]

Rim is dead
deal with it!!!

[allengeorge]

The problem is that the US sales direction will translate to other markets - and fairly quickly. RIM can't compete against ultra-cheap Android handsets in the long run, so they're going to have to stake out the middle and higher ground, which is already handled much better by Apple/Android (Samsung, HTC, etc.)

I don't think the international numbers will hold for long. I estimate we'll see dips mid next-year, and I also estimate we'll see RIM's NA market share hit below 5% by October next year.

[Pete6#WP]

Rim is dead
deal with it!!!

I know, I know. They just won't die. It is SUCH a shame that they keep making money and staying alive.

It must a b s o l u t e l y ruin your carefully contrived reality.

I return your own phrase. Deal with it.

[FranzJoseph]

The problem is that the US sales direction will translate to other markets - and fairly quickly. RIM can't compete against ultra-cheap Android handsets in the long run, so they're going to have to stake out the middle and higher ground, which is already handled much better by Apple/Android (Samsung, HTC, etc.)

I don't think the international numbers will hold for long. I estimate we'll see dips mid next-year, and I also estimate we'll see RIM's NA market share hit below 5% by October next year.

BlackBerry is still king in Canada. They have a market share that is higher than Apple and even higher than Android.

[Rickroller]

Old thread is old

[rollingrock1988]

Time will tell.

[Jake Storm]

Old thread is old

Yeah, "RIM is dying". People have been saying it for a long time, but it doesn't seem to be coming true.
It's getting old.

[robtanz]

The problem is that the US sales direction will translate to other markets - and fairly quickly. RIM can't compete against ultra-cheap Android handsets in the long run, so they're going to have to stake out the middle and higher ground, which is already handled much better by Apple/Android (Samsung, HTC, etc.)

I don't think the international numbers will hold for long. I estimate we'll see dips mid next-year, and I also estimate we'll see RIM's NA market share hit below 5% by October next year.

That is so weird....I was estimating almost the exact opposite...

[chrism_scotland]

I don't really agree with the "US sales falls will translate elsewhere" - the rest of the world as much as America would like to be be is not America.

One of the main markets that RIM have a large portion of over here is in actual fact the ultra cheap/Pay As You Go market, the ultra cheap Android phones have so far been fairly dire in the UK, but young people seem to have embraced Blackberry mainly for BBM.

In the higher market sectors the new OS7 devices are usually cheaper than their Android equivalents and a hellva lot cheaper than the iPhone, aslo over here there seems to still be a big big "business means Blackberry" mantra, most companies over here still have Blackberries and I can't see that changing much at the moment - the company I work for; one of the top 10 in the UK won't even allow staff to have anything but a Blackberry for work!

[kb5zht]

Big growth in an exploding market. Bring on 7.0 and we will see continued growth exploding!!

I hope OS 7 devices arent too late to help RIM, but they (the devices) are awesome.

My 9850 is smooth, lightning fast.... works well with very few bugs at all. I mean, seriously, good job on that rim.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Dapper37]

I hope OS 7 devices arent too late to help RIM, but they (the devices) are awesome.

My 9850 is smooth, lightning fast.... works well with very few bugs at all. I mean, seriously, good job on that rim.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Only time will tell, I too feel BB7 devices are beautiful. one thing to remember is that most new smartphone sales in emerging markets are not coming from one platform to another, they are coming from the feature phone market. the game is in the early innings.
BB7 will get RIM to BBX.

[katiepea]

sorry but a growing company doesn't lay off employees, where there's smoke, there's fire.

[belfastdispatcher]

sorry but a growing company doesn't lay off employees, where there's smoke, there's fire.

Any company lays off employees it no longer needs to make room for the ones it does need.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kevinnugent]

Yeah, except RIM is laying off 2,000 workers. Not to hire better ones, but to save money.