[calaviqpfza4]

Interesting...

Report: RIM could halt production of PlayBook | ZDNet

[kbz1960]

Sorry, but how many times does this need a new thread?

[calaviqpfza4]

Sorry tried to delete, don't know how.

[ifarlow]

I was just about to tell you that this has already been posted... except this article references a new analyst. Ouch. Whether the analysts are correct or not, can RIM get past all the negative press?

[tstrike34]

Agreed. This is the 2nd source reporting the same thing and apparently RIM sent the word out.

Kevin or Bla1ze can yall confirm this. Man that would really suck if they pulled the plug this soon.

Uggh.

[papped]

It doesn't mean anything... Even if you assume it's true (which is a stretch) it doesn't automatically mean they are stopping production as a means to quitting the PB wifi model for good. Production can be halted temporarily for a number of reasons.

[eds817]

I guess we can put a lot of trust in this report.

warning/prediction/guess about RIM�s tablet offering (*delete as applicable):

�Research In Motion is possibly planning to stop production of the BlackBerry PlayBook�s Wi-Fi model.�

[lnichols]

Well rumor was they ordered a million for first run, shipped 500,000, and have sold less than that. Production halted does not mean it is dead, they probably don't want to get too much further in till sell though, which they won't do unless they get the stuff they have been promising out.

[mikedj72]

I'm just waiting for the blog that uses, "Playbook or Playdead."

I did my best about two weeks ago to sway some positive opinion in the halls of RIM, I hammered a good $150 for apps after my purchase that week. I guess there are not enough of us out there?

Have there been any posts or developers come to the boards here to say how many copies of their apps were purchased? I remember on the Android message boards how there were early stories of developers being pissed that it was a freebie market compared to a "more mature/willingness to pay " Apple apps market. But each month, there was an improvement.

As each month ticked off, you could see a small increase in the positive sentiment from those developers trying to make money in that Android market. Twelve months later, they have a different story to tell. It may not be the volume that Apple would bring to that same app, but it's 100x better than their Android market was 12 months before.

If RIM would just hold out a little longer, help developers with App programs, there would be and inflection point, maybe a place in the curve where the snowball would just take off as it did for Android. Sure, current volumes may not be what RIM wanted, but that is in a short window. Take that first window with Android launch, it sucked at the time as well.

Maybe I'm just dreaming, a vision over the hill is something the two stooges at the helm seem to have a problem with. Android held the course when they were way behind, they stayed steady and made well with a long-term approach. As a Xoom owner, I'm seeing a little snowball being made on their tablet platform as well. I think it will be great in 12 months looking back. I was there from day one with the iPad, no comparison now to what it was day one. Please RIM, hold the path!

[wendyn66]

I am a fairly new user of blackberries and jumped into purchasing the Playbook on recommendations from a couple people. I too am waiting for additional features but like my Playbook just fine the way it is now. However, I am not going to be happy if it's obsolete within the year!

Wendy

[sportline]

maybe those analysts are just trolls?
can't they just see the potential?
really the wifi version got no future with this bbid and email complications. unlocked simcard version should come out quick now now.
what amazed me is that how such negatives comes out without damage control from rim?

[rage763]

who knows. maybe its a payed analyst to say this, intended as a scare tactic to consumers to further detour people from buying the playbook. just a thought...

[mikedj72]

Well rumor was they ordered a million for first run, shipped 500,000, and have sold less than that. Production halted does not mean it is dead, they probably don't want to get too much further in till sell though, which they won't do unless they get the stuff they have been promising out.

In iPad marketing, the device doesn't care if you own a PC, Laptop, Netbook, Mac, Android Phone, Windows 7 Phone, Blackberry or the old school Razr. It does not care if you're smart or dumb. It does not care if you're in a suit or jogging pants. For anyone with disposable income and in the market to buy, it gets considered. It was also first, has a large percentage of the market share and takes advantage of other people seeing it in the hands of a broad userbase.

It seems to me like the RIM brass, and many crackheads here, are fine with saying this device is just for the percent of people that own a Blackberry phone. It seems as though there is this, "Well you're stupid for not owning a Blackberry phone, so you should find another device, move on." This might be why sales are a dud in Rim's mind, production being possibly halted to let channel stock clear and grasping at 3G being the answer all along.

Fix the damn email ASAP, run the **** out of new commercials showing its use, and open your product up to every non-Blackberry phone holder in the world.(Majority) Then some of that Channel buildup might move. Something is causing it to sit. Ever think about fixing a few of the common negatives that are perceived to see if that might help?

This comment not directed at the poster above, just a good point to comment off.

[greander]

I hope this isn't true.

I've been a loyal BB user (and now PlayBook owner) for a long time, but my patience with inept corporate management is not unlimited.

[Laura Knotek]

Halt in production does not mean discontinuation. It could just mean the thing isn't selling, so there is a glut of unsold inventory.

Car companies halt production all the time if dealers have many cars sitting in the lot unsold.

[dasDestruktion]

At this rate, the PB will be canned before we get native email.

[bearclawcoffee]

Well - it would help if stores had WORKING models. (best buy is the worst) it seems like a conspiracy >:O

[sportline]

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer shipments surpass 400,000 units per month --->> somebody else is selling - its a new entrant, fairly new product, lower rung manufacturer, etc.
so its not the market, it's the product. market now is so competitive so 3-4 months is too long to wait for customers to stay content, waiting.
next few months, before end of 2011, there will be more 7" tablets (hp opal) and even 5.3" tablet phones (samsung) coming up.

[mikedj72]

Halt in production does not mean discontinuation. It could just mean the thing isn't selling, so there is a glut of unsold inventory.

Car companies halt production all the time if dealers have many cars sitting in the lot unsold.

And Big Carmaker often steps in with rebates or promotional financing during those periods. Time for Big RIM(pun intended) to step in with $100 off.

[Laura Knotek]

ASUS Eee Pad Transformer shipments surpass 400,000 units per month --->> somebody else is selling - its a new entrant, fairly new product, lower rung manufacturer, etc.
so its not the market, it's the product. market now is so competitive so 3-4 months is too long to wait for customers to stay content, waiting.
next few months, before end of 2011, there will be more 7" tablets (hp opal) and even 5.3" tablet phones (samsung) coming up.

The difference is the ASUS tablet has email and calendar function as is. There is no "coming soon".

[mikedj72]

In December of 2008, 32% of smartphone buyers wanted their next phone to have the Blackberry OS. 22% wanted iOS and 4% wanted Android.

Today, the report is out saying 48% want iOS in their next smartphone, 32% want Android and 4% want Blackberry OS.

You can see the trend in the months between on the chart, not good for RIM. QNX is the modern mode of transportation RIM needs. I really hope these reports turn out to just be about production halts to clear the channel, not something that leads to the product's death on the tablet platform.

[bembol]

Pansonic 3DO (my favorite Console, Road Rash was amazing!), Toshiba HD DVD (still have my HD-XA2 with 45 HD DVD's). If RIM decides to drop the PlayBook, I'm used it. LOL

[mikedj72]

Here are the excerpts from a more recent update on the article. This makes it sound either/or, clearing for a 3G type model, or shifting QNX focus and research to phones. Report is also on MSNBC now as well.

RBC analyst Mike Abramsky said in a note that the move to discontinue the Wi-Fi PlayBook may reflect RIM's strategy to lower channel inventory after lower-than-expected sales, or a realization by the company that a cellular-equipped PlayBook may cannibalize sales of the current model, among other factors.

However Mr. Abramsky said the move may also be prompted by a shift in priorities at the company, as RIM prepares to launch an entirely new line of smart phones in 2012 running on an operating system developed by QNX, a software-maker the company bought last year. RIM is essentially betting its future on the success of those devices, as it attempts to claw back market share from rivals such as Apple (AAPL-Q373.808.882.43%) and Google. (GOOG-Q594.94-2.68-0.45%)

“RIM also appears to be re-prioritizing its R&D from PlayBook to its QNX-based 'superphones' expected early 2012, considering its importance to stemming U.S. share losses,” Mr. Abramsky wrote.

[ifarlow]

Pansonic 3DO (my favorite Console, Road Rash was amazing!), Toshiba HD DVD (still have my HD-XA2 with 45 HD DVD's). If RIM decides to drop the PlayBook, I'm used it. LOL

Ooh, would you mind letting me know what gadget you are considering next... so I can avoid it?

[Jared DiPane]

And...

Twitter / Research In Motion: @BGR Pure fiction. No plan ...