[The Big Picture]

IMO BlackBerry needs to do something big and quick with regards to hardware/devices for the market to take notice and start buying them.

They have tried everything from slabs, larger slabs with large batteries, qwerty, qwerty with trackpad, large qwerty with touch capable keyboard and soon a slider. On top of this they have tried hitting the low, mid and high end markets with assortments of devices.

They have made improvements to fill the app gap with the android runtime, made a deal with amazon app store.

Going android seems to be a growing rumor and although this is somewhat viable it may mean the end of BlackBerry 10.

So what else can be done?

Posted via CB10

[paulwallace1234]

The most obvious one really, "BLOODY ADVERTISE YOU IDIOTS"

I've not seen a single BlackBerry Advertisement off the internet, nothing on TV, Radio, BillBoards, AD boards at bus stops ect..

And they need a Tablet running BlackBerry 10/Stop making devices with crap hardware, sorry but the Classic should have been a Z30 match at least, I know they wanted to try familiarise older BBOS users into coming over but putting old hardware in them is a step too far.

Then there is prices, a month before I got my Z10 it was �700+ that's iPhone money, on which was 10.2.0 OS when I got it, I only bought mine because it went down �500

[Maxxxpower]

Competitive hardware and pricing would be a first useful step.

[Dunt Dunt Dunt]

Provide what your customers want - let your customer know that you have a product available - price that product competitively.

[slick271974]

Start with making phones people want to buy. Then they could actually let people know that they have a phone for sale.

[GreenCopperz]

Slay the "BlackBerry is dead" dragon. I know they aren't targeting the consumer via the carrier, however they still need to educate the carrier representatives and get the information out to those idiots who claim "BlackBerry was bankrupt / bought out / dissolved / BlackBerry who?" ignorant types and somehow aid them into choosing the right phone for them (whether iPhone, Android or BlackBerry) instead of the BlackBerry sucks mentality due to their utter ignorance.

They then need to push what BlackBerry "can deliver" as opposed to what they "can try to promise". Their Leap market is a start in the right direction, as was their Passport audience. Now they need to market it effectively to their target audience, by spending money in those key markets. By spend, I mean really spend until it nearly hurts.

Then BlackBerry needs to do what we just saw today, by extending the warranty to the black screen Z30's. They need to stand behind their product like some car manufacturers have done by doubling their standard warranty.

They need to spread the message, that to be strong, it doesn't mean you have to be big! (Apple/Android) that you're a respectable player who's earned your place, not commanding it or shouting your mouth off on what you may deliver...

And so on...

Z30STA100-5/10.3.1.2558

[Pcmx]

I sometimes think of phones now with the analogy of the early to mid 90s game console wars. Thinking back 20-25 years ago, imagine Nintendo is Apple and Sega is BB and you have some decently opposing fans of each:

Nintendo makes the Snes (a couple variants) like Apple does the iPhone. That's their main home product, it's locked down in ways and while it goes against innovation, it does what it appeals to very well and doesn't change much. A certain longevity is maybe considered in the design / developer software and licensing process.

Sega, in the same overlapping time frame, in home consoles alone, releases the Megadrive / Genesis (many variations of), the Sega CD, the 32X, additional subscriber services like Sega Channel, and the over expensive, ahead of its time beast Saturn that everyone I knew oohs and ahhs over but nobody wants to program for. The Nintendo 64 isn't even released for another year yet in this frame of comparison. Sega gets out of the hardware business following the console after that, The Dreamcast, which was also innovative and ahead of its time but lacks a critical software format, DVD, to compete against Sony (let's say Android ;P) released a little too soon and therefore is too little too late, and Sega then does only software for the other platforms. Nintendo holds ground as Sony which was a start-up in the home game console market by the mid-90s takes the lead in the years to come.

Did Sega make better or worse hardware? Was it only more appealing to a niche fan-base, like us? People probably got confused by all the offerings or can only afford one or the other so they went with the one that has the most (good games) developer support, has been around long enough to be a safe bet, since they basically did the same thing, or stick with whatever the first model they got as long as new software is coming out for it. Early adopters get burned when a device tanks and electronics ain't cheap.

I sometimes wonder if BB is just making too many different devices and I wonder how that effects things.

Apple, iPhone. You don't often even say Apple when referring to it. Yea sure they make a whole bunch of different #s and Cs and Ss but they are all just say iPhone on them and have all the same buttons, ecosystem, etc.

Blackberry 10, well.. While I love the Z10, I scratched my head when I held out for it and my carrier basically released it marginally earlier than the Z30. Again, I love the Z10, but why not just the Z30!?.. or some great combination of the two with a good memorable name? Maybe the Passport and the Classic could have been one in an agreeable form factor as I see it cutting into the Classic's target (Bold transitioners') marketshare? It's like there are competing devices within the company. I love the Q5, I think it's great, but could they have met middle ground with a Q10/Q5 hybrid meeting both purposes? I understand they want to do a premium / mid-tier offering but could they just make the price work on one that gets both done together? Maybe one just has more plastic parts rather than different screen technologies, keyboards, and the like?

How much R&D goes into these handsets, like damn, I love the Passport but how much does / did it cost to design and produce that awesome stainless-steel frame?

I guess I would be looking at supporting one, well thought out, pkb and one all-touch over a course and like how Apple does it, just cram some higher specs into say a Z30, like a "Z30s" or whatever . I don't even know what to be thinking with the slider or Leap. Might be too innovative for too little gain? a too little, too late?

Time can only tell...

[Francis Dunphy]

Produce devices that utilize more up to date hardware.
Most mid level Android devices have better specs than all BlackBerry handsets with the exception of the Passport.
There's no excuse in today's market for a company to produce new products with two year old specs. Seems counter intuitive to me.
IMHO.


Caper in Toronto.

[vbdwork]

Invent a time machine, go back to 2006 and fix the business. Nothing else will help.

[imz]

Absolutely nothing.

In the UK, carriers aren't pushing the devices, and Blackberry is trying to find ways to offer the "Blackberry experience" on other platforms, i.e. BBM, potentially the keyboard, calendar etc

So... Blackberry is going down the software route instead, to become a software & services company, will they succeed? My prediction and opinion - Absolutely not.

Lets look at other software by Blackberry.

* Entire BB10, not very efficient, requires a lot of processing power in comparison to the others, still lags behind iOS performance even with more horsepower
* Blackberry Desktop manager, ugh
* Blackberry Link, nice UI, bad execution
* Problems with BBM on iOS & Android at launch, granted, resolved fairly quick
* Blend is good though

Clearly software is not their forte, they can just about make stuff work on their own platform, good luck making it work on others.

[birdman_38]

- Remove Android runtime from BB10.
- Release an Android device with full Google Services
- Release a Windows 10 device

[trevorcroft]

Better android runtime, google play services... or a full android emulation ecosystem.

Once you switch the setting to "full android ecosystem" then you wouldn't see anything blackberry related... if you wanted to run BBM you would need to install it from the google play store.

Put a removable battery in the classic, give it hdmi out, and this full android ecosystem and it will sell like hot cakes.

People LOVE keyboards, especially the android users, they just can't leave android because they're not confident in blackberry or windows phone not supporting the apps they like.

Posted via CB10

[cbvinh]

Produce devices that utilize more up to date hardware.
Most mid level Android devices have better specs than all BlackBerry handsets with the exception of the Passport.
There's no excuse in today's market for a company to produce new products with two year old specs. Seems counter intuitive to me.
IMHO.

Ask yourself why new iPhones still have very little RAM.

[cbvinh]

Absolutely nothing.

In the UK, carriers aren't pushing the devices, and Blackberry is trying to find ways to offer the "Blackberry experience" on other platforms, i.e. BBM, potentially the keyboard, calendar etc

So... Blackberry is going down the software route instead, to become a software & services company, will they succeed? My prediction and opinion - Absolutely not.

Lets look at other software by Blackberry.

* Entire BB10, not very efficient, requires a lot of processing power in comparison to the others, still lags behind iOS performance even with more horsepower
* Blackberry Desktop manager, ugh
* Blackberry Link, nice UI, bad execution
* Problems with BBM on iOS & Android at launch, granted, resolved fairly quick
* Blend is good though

Clearly software is not their forte, they can just about make stuff work on their own platform, good luck making it work on others.

What about software that their reputation is built upon? BES? Encryption?

[cbvinh]

- Release a Windows 10 device

Going Windows Phone worked well for Nokia...

[cbvinh]

Better android runtime, google play services... or a full android emulation ecosystem.

Once you switch the setting to "full android ecosystem" then you wouldn't see anything blackberry related... if you wanted to run BBM you would need to install it from the google play store.

Put a removable battery in the classic, give it hdmi out, and this full android ecosystem and it will sell like hot cakes.

People LOVE keyboards, especially the android users, they just can't leave android because they're not confident in blackberry or windows phone not supporting the apps they like.

Other than for the keyboard, would you still buy BlackBerry hardware when the likes of Samsung, HTC, LG, etc. have better hardware? How do you answer all the BlackBerry users who say that keyboards are a waste of resources and full touch is where's it's at?

[birdman_38]

Going Windows Phone worked well for Nokia...

A $1 billion commitment over five years, then shedding their struggling mobile division while holding on to their patent portfolio. Now rumored to be collaborating on an Android device.
Worked out fine for them actually.

[cbvinh]

A $1 billion commitment over five years, then shedding their struggling mobile division while holding on to their patent portfolio. Now rumored to be collaborating on an Android device.
Worked out fine for them actually.

So you don't want anymore BlackBerry hardware...

[birdman_38]

So you don't want anymore BlackBerry hardware...

I suggested they adopt two more operating systems. Quite the opposite of exiting hardware.

[double_fault]

Finally a thoughtful topic, instead of what color phone should I get? Should I go virtual or physical keyboard?

I give credit to BlackBerry for being innovative and unorthodox in their device offerings.

I would love to see BlackBerry resurge just like Apple did in the mid 90s.

They certainly have the core devoted fans just like Apple had back in the day.

I don't know what they could do to get the upper hand over the big two.

Posted via CB10

[vbdwork]

- Remove Android runtime from BB10.
- Release an Android device with full Google Services
- Release a Windows 10 device

So you don't want anymore BlackBerry hardware...

I suggested they adopt two more operating systems. Quite the opposite of exiting hardware.

So you don't want BlackBerry 10 anymore... LOL

[cbvinh]

I suggested they adopt two more operating systems. Quite the opposite of exiting hardware.

Which brings back the Nokia example. Nokia had great hardware, but they had to sell their business to Microsoft because they couldn't make money from it. How would BlackBerry fair better? If you're saying that Nokia's situation worked out great for Nokia, then BlackBerry would be going down the same path, leaving the hardware business, having a cash infusion from Microsoft and living off of their patents. Other than the keyboard, BlackBerry doesn't have the hardware reputation for people to switch to BlackBerry, in lieu of Samsung, HTC, LG, etc.

[cbvinh]

Finally a thoughtful topic, instead of what color phone should I get? Should I go virtual or physical keyboard?

I give credit to BlackBerry for being innovative and unorthodox in their device offerings.

I would love to see BlackBerry resurge just like Apple did in the mid 90s.

They certainly have the core devoted fans just like Apple had back in the day.

I don't know what they could do to get the upper hand over the big two.

The unfortunate part of Apple's resurge is that the products for the resurge is in areas /other than/ what their original base wanted: computers. BlackBerry's resurge may be in devices other than phones.

[birdman_38]

So you don't want BlackBerry 10 anymore... LOL

Didn't say that either.

[dbmalloy]

Do not get theses threads... BB has made it painfully clear they do not care about the consumer market... They now cater to the enterprise market exclusively... as they transition to a predominately software company with hardware as a side line the consumer market becomes less and less important... if all they need is 10 million device sales per year to be profitable and see their future revenue in software and services... what is their reason to even bother trying to compete with Apple or Sammy... heck... they are being surpassed by Microsoft of all people... we can all dream about a BB smartphone resurgence... at some point however... we have to accept we are now in the niche market and simply do not play in the same league of the big boys.... if you want specs.. specs.. specs.... go buy as new Sammy.... amazing phone.... me I will stick with BB simply because nothing communicates as well as my z30... if Sammy or Apple came out with something that did ... I would out of here like a shot....