[mozartpc27]

So, they say they want to accelerate a sale of the company, by as early as November.

At the same time, they are evidently going ahead with an impending disaster of a Z30 launch, spending the cash they have to build units whose biggest feature is that they are SLIGHTLY bigger than the Z10. With their typical lavish marketing support, these devices should fly on to overstock lists.

So why launch them at all? Why be releasing strange little updates to Playbook (and I have Playbook)? If the point is to preserve maximum value of the company going into a sale, why launch a device that is a mortal lock to be another embarrassing flop?

Someone explain this to me.

[Blacklatino]

So, they say they want to accelerate a sale of the company, by as early as November.

At the same time, they are evidently going ahead with an impending disaster of a Z30 launch, spending the cash they have to build units whose biggest feature is that they are SLIGHTLY bigger than the Z10. With their typical lavish marketing support, these devices should fly on to overstock lists.

So why launch them at all? Why be releasing strange little updates to Playbook (and I have Playbook)? If the point is to preserve maximum value of the company going into a sale, why launch a device that is a mortal lock to be another embarrassing flop?

Someone explain this to me.

The launch was probably going to happen know matter what. Whether good or bad remains to be seen. The sale was probably moved up at the request of the shareholders. All platforms are guilty of releasing devices with slightly modified features. So, nothing new or surprising there. Right now, no one knows and/or will know until the sale has happened and strategies are made public.

[JasW]

Despite rumors of an O-series phone for next year, I doubt there really is a coherent strategy beyond November. The company wants to sell itself by then, and the buyer is either going to sell off the parts or, if it is a rich and foolish buyer, go forward with the Z30, and then the O-series or whatever is on the road map (or whatever it revises the road map to put on -- tablets, toaster ovens, or GPS equipped rubber ducks). Realistic and objective people, which obviously excludes a sizable contingent here on CB, tend to believe that the company will be sold off for its cash and patents, and if the Z30 is actually released, it will be The Last BlackBerry.

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk 4

[nyplaya610]

OP, that was real talk. All true! But what is BlackBerry plan for the next 6 months.

Posted via CB10

[CairnsRock]

The strategy is, just like they say in the movies...."let's get out of here"

[sergey_IL]

One thing for sure:
people waiting for BlackBerry death will change their mind in next 6 months.

[route664]

blackberry's death is like they're product delivery. COMING SOON!

haha.. but.. i think if they even try just a little bit.. the z30 can be a decent launch. the 10.2 os is fast and way better than previous. assuming the z30 launches with 10.2 a bigger screen is nice.. but i think they should just launch the z30 as the z30.. not as blackberry z30..

[qwerty4ever]

So, they say they want to accelerate a sale of the company, by as early as November.

At the same time, they are evidently going ahead with an impending disaster of a Z30 launch, spending the cash they have to build units whose biggest feature is that they are SLIGHTLY bigger than the Z10. With their typical lavish marketing support, these devices should fly on to overstock lists.

So why launch them at all? Why be releasing strange little updates to Playbook (and I have Playbook)? If the point is to preserve maximum value of the company going into a sale, why launch a device that is a mortal lock to be another embarrassing flop?

Someone explain this to me.

The update for the tablet was dated months ago.

[ljfong]

I think BlackBerry is trying to hit everything they set out to do never mind how late it is or meaningless it will be. Really kinda reminds me of the band that kept on playing on Titanic when everyone was scurrying for lifeboats and such.

Posted via CB10

[Jennifer Ryans]

Blackberry is waiting on private equity to value the different pieces of the company. Nobody wants to buy the whole company as is, they want to break it up into pieces. Watsa, the largest stock holder of BB has already stepped aside from the board so that it can be a player in acquiring part of the company. BB as you know it is done, they are going to be a cautionary tale in business history on how complacency can ruin a company.

[mjdimer]

Strategies should be planned years ahead. I'm sure there's something in the pipeline.

Posted via CB10

[SEAWARRIOR]

"WTF is BB's strategy for the next six months?"


run the stock/company into the ground, then haul a$$ w/ 55million friggin' dollars...

[rigwrecker]

"WTF is BB's strategy for the next six months?"


run the stock/company into the ground, then haul a$$ w/ 55million friggin' dollars...

No KIDDING... Sad, but looks like it might actually happen

[rigwrecker]

What they should have done was "ReleaseThe Cracken!!!"... Sorry, I couldn't help my self.... LOL. All this BS about not getting in a specs war. What exactly does Thor think he was in charge of? An Easter egg hunt? Jelly bean roll? Bake off? I mean lets get real here for just a second.... The Shtuff coming out in the mobile phone/computing race is new almost monthly, not the big players, as they hold the cards close to the vest and only put cards on the table when a new phone is due. but the emerging side line companies are PUMPING out some GOOD SHTUFF!!

That Being said, This should be the release of the A10, not the friggin Z30. Realize-I'm a fan of the Z30, BUT... Put some frigging work into the damn phone and market the SHtuff out of it! both accaounts fell short.

Apple is the first to 64 bit. Wouldn't it have been sweet to have seen BB release the first 3GB, Quad core phone. Yeah, ok, not all usable, I know this, and a lot of you do too, but the "average Joe" that buys a phone is looking at #'s on a spec sheet and doesn't know Schitt!!! they merely base they're purchase on 3gb is bigger than 2gb (Que indecent groin scratch here...). Sadly, Thors unwillingness to see "what sells" has gotten BB further into the schmelly. I'm not saying for one minute that the Z30 shouldn't have been developed, but the A10 should have as well. They could have had the same case for gods sake!!!

Z30 - The Z10's older bro. a slightly faster/bigger device
A10 - For the gamer in you, w/ 3gb ram, 1.9GHz quad core processor, same screen size(Z30), 13mp frc, stereo speakers, REMOVABLE "BIGGER THAN BIG" BATTERY.... just a few that come to mind, I'm sure we all could throw a "little something" on the list.

oh well, 20/20 hind sight.

What will happen to BB in the next 6 months? This schit won't be good. or if you prefer, bad schit.
I hope not, but it doesn't look good, everyone can see that.

[MobileZen]

In the next 6 months, I think they have to look at their strategy and prioritize what needs to be done that is logical, keeps things steady and minimize risk. They have to be as agile as they can while maintaining and keeping their current customers while looking for growth potential in their stronger markets and industries.

I'm not sure if all the dead weight is gone yet (those still part of the old culture/middle mgt fat/unqualified workers due to nepotism, etc) so I hope Thorsten continues to work on that. Streamline their personnel with the right skills, attitude and desire to fight for the company. Keep people that is part of the program rather than the problem. Once there comes a point where scaling up is required based on need and demand, they move forward on a hiring strategy that brings in employees to meet the needs of the future direction.

One thing for sure is that in terms of software and hardware, BB10 along with the Z10/Q10/Z30 shows a solid value proposition that only can be done by them and not via Android nor another hardware manufacturer housing BB10. Imagine if their hardware partner could not properly work with BB10 or if Android could not meet the service and business need in the corporate space. They've shown that BB10 can be housed and managed with a full touchscreen phone, full qwerty, phablets, and tablets. If there is an interested buyer, they will know what BB10 and all its parts are capable of.

BlackBerry's largest growth in the past was in the consumer space but that was because they were the only game in town for premium smartphones but not really knowing the fight they were in for. The consumer competition swooped in and caught them off guard and they could not react fast enough. Better to focus back on their key corporate customers while doing what they can in the consumer space with high quality cross platform apps (BBM, Hub, Travel, Storymaker, etc.).

There was a time that BlackBerry phones were cool starting inside the work space. I can see that happening again especially if employees start seeing not just a cool work phone, but also one that can be switched to a play phone with little effort to provide personal privacy and security.

BlackBerry has a reputation problem that has to repaired and that can only be done with time. Is that something they have? I would like to hope so and they keep proving the naysayers wrong.

Posted via CB10

[bitek]

My strategy is not to read stupid news and enjoy my exceptional z10

Having said that it is obvious to me that big cellular phone service providers have deeply blackberry in their excuse my language ***. So blackberry should go apple route ( did i just wrote that) and sell and market them on its own. Worldwide blackberry should keep working with phone carriers. Especially in emerging markets
Sent from Tapatalk using BlackBerry Z10

[birdman_38]

One can only hope their strategy is, "If we don't sell by January 2014 and have two abhorrent earnings reports by then, let's do something drastic."

[JasW]

One can only hope their strategy is, "If we don't sell by January 2014 and have two abhorrent earnings reports by then, let's do something drastic."

Or this: "I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!"

[Zodbuster]

6 months from now .. Blackberry will be PALM...non existent...

[rigwrecker]

Or this: "I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part!"

LOL! I like it!

[triplekia]

If only you asked what would Thorstein He is do, then it would be very easy to answer.

Posted via CB10

[lnichols]

Probably the same as the last 6 months: Release products, price them unrealistically, don't advertise them, tell your dwindling fan base to do free advertising for you by word of mouth, wait/hope for customers to buy a product they know nothing about, hope for a buyer to purchase the company.

[garnok]

My strategy is not to read stupid news and enjoy my exceptional z10

Having said that it is obvious to me that big cellular phone service providers have deeply blackberry in their excuse my language ***. So blackberry should go apple route ( did i just wrote that) and sell and market them on its own. Worldwide blackberry should keep working with phone carriers. Especially in emerging markets
Sent from Tapatalk using BlackBerry Z10

without any distribution partner (carrier, bestbut etc) how can they survive ? apple can make their own store because their product have huge demand, and large pile of cash and even apple have their own store, they still need carrier support .without support from others blackberry will only burn their money

in emerging market prepaid plan is the king, plus in many emerging market BB phone sales less than before, samsung already take BB lunch, and when BBM cross platform you can see more and more people in those market ditch their BB phone for much cheaper, more popular, and huge apps selection android phone.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

I just feel sorry for the rank and file employees. Hard to work someplace where the future is such an unknown and where many of their friends might have already lost jobs. And then to know that the guys that drove the bus off the cliff had parachutes.....

I haven't noticed the advertising that I had been seeing for BB10 devices. So the "plan" to slowly build the user base has most likely been put aside and now the "corporate" plans is most likely to cut all expenses possible, but not to make it look like that are cutting all expenses. They are is sell mode, with a big question mark as to where things will go with a new buyer.

Some Social Networks are more valuable than companies that produce physical products and I think BB really wants a piece of that pie... or to at least make it appear to a buyer that they have a shot at it. But even if they managed to get to the level of Whatsapp in a year... they really isn't very much revenue. It's the in app advertising that really drives profits to developer, but again that is based on user base.

[FlashFlare11]

I'm sure the company can consider the Z30 a "successful launch" If they have actual dates that are within a timely manner after launch for purchase. The U.S. and other markets shouldn't have to wait wondering when they'll get the Z30.

As for the next six months, I'm pretty sure that BlackBerry has the road map drawn through next year. What if a sale doesn't happen? What if they end up going private and not being broken up? They have to have their plans ready. The immediate strategy is getting out the Z30, releasing 10.2, further developing the OS (whether that's BlackBerry 10.3 or 11), and getting developers on board.

Posted via CB10