1. just_luc's Avatar
    Also.. a HUGE chunk of the cost of developing product is R&D... however.. once that money is spent, it does not cost any additional (or at least minimal amounts) to scale that tech to additional products.. in other words developing BB10 from scratch.. or even the playbook OS that is on the the PB now.. HUGE cost..and part of the reason the current playbook had to be 500 dollars.. it was a first gen product and millions of R&D had to be recouped..Now that BB10 is done.. moving some buttons around, changing the UI a little to adapt it to the playbook costs almost nothing... AND since that's being done anyway for the next gen tablet.. taking a build that it suitable for the current playbook.. releasing it.. and then continuing to add a few new features until the next gen tablet launches.. costs NOTHING more then developing the software for that next gen tablet initially would have.

    There are only 2 reasons not to release software updates for older products (provided that software is already in development for your new product) reason 1 is the current hardware can't run it, or at least not properly. This is not the case with the playbook.. sure the new one will be faster.. but the current model will run it well. The second reason is if you are trying to force customers to buy the new product by refusing to allow current features on older devices even though they are perfectly capable.. and that's never been RIM's style. It's a tactic that gets noticed, and doesn't breed loyal followers.. heck even apple doesn't do it and you'd almost expect them to.
    01-24-13 10:56 PM
  2. kwelamnp's Avatar
    Anyone see this?

    U.S. and Canadian stocks advanced despite the 12% drop in the price of Apple shares and news that Lenovo may be looking to acquire Canada’s Research in Motion. !!!
    01-24-13 11:01 PM
  3. ricocan's Avatar
    BB10 must be successful as a smart/super phone first, getting the consumer warmed up to the interface will be critical to a successful tablet. But I think RIMM has a new idea that they hope will reshape the idea of how to make tablet and a laptop. There are other ways to do a tablet when the OS is the same one used by a connected super phone?
    01-24-13 11:22 PM
  4. Goint's Avatar
    I would be more interested in seeing a BB10 laptop than another tablet. If they insist on a tablet, at least have a laptop that you can take the screen off.
    01-24-13 11:23 PM
  5. chaosdivine's Avatar
    I think you have good reasoning here. In fact, no one's really mentioned the in car demos of QNX in this discussion. I mean it was done for a lot more reasons than to show off the coolness factor. To me, the market for QNX and BB 10 goes way beyond tablets and superphones. I could see this OS one day being in medical imaging and devices, factory instrumentation, bank kiosks, movie theater ticket vending machines, transit kiosks, sign industry running digital signs...ya, to me the market is endless. I think they're going to release this for the current PlayBook to prove a point that since it runs well on lower end devices, can you imagine how it would perform on a higher end device? Also they're going to do it to appease current PB owners. But their real goal is licensing their software out to others to build the devices of the future in whatever capacity someone can dream up.


    Also.. a HUGE chunk of the cost of developing product is R&D... however.. once that money is spent, it does not cost any additional (or at least minimal amounts) to scale that tech to additional products.. in other words developing BB10 from scratch.. or even the playbook OS that is on the the PB now.. HUGE cost..and part of the reason the current playbook had to be 500 dollars.. it was a first gen product and millions of R&D had to be recouped..Now that BB10 is done.. moving some buttons around, changing the UI a little to adapt it to the playbook costs almost nothing... AND since that's being done anyway for the next gen tablet.. taking a build that it suitable for the current playbook.. releasing it.. and then continuing to add a few new features until the next gen tablet launches.. costs NOTHING more then developing the software for that next gen tablet initially would have.

    There are only 2 reasons not to release software updates for older products (provided that software is already in development for your new product) reason 1 is the current hardware can't run it, or at least not properly. This is not the case with the playbook.. sure the new one will be faster.. but the current model will run it well. The second reason is if you are trying to force customers to buy the new product by refusing to allow current features on older devices even though they are perfectly capable.. and that's never been RIM's style. It's a tactic that gets noticed, and doesn't breed loyal followers.. heck even apple doesn't do it and you'd almost expect them to.
    01-24-13 11:45 PM
  6. cntunglam's Avatar
    Whatever , if it is killed by RIM for lauching new device , and its price discount more and more in my countrg , I will be the fisrt guy buy it My Nexus 7 don't have HDMI port , and I prefer Playbook design and BB 10 os I
    01-25-13 12:02 AM
  7. cgk's Avatar
    This year is going to see the market flooded with tablets in the $149 range with a similar spec to the nexus 7 - if RIM can match that and still make money, they should give it a go - if not they should back away slowly and concentrate on trying to make their smartphones a success.
    kevinnugent and JeepBB like this.
    01-25-13 01:19 AM
  8. 123nat's Avatar
    People are forgetting that RIM probably makes money from apps (commission) so killing off playbook won't make sense. No BB10 update for Playbook also won't make sense as they also lose money from the new bb10 apps. Also with 2 million playbook around - its a powerful marketing tool to give away free bb10 updates.
    01-25-13 03:38 AM
  9. cgk's Avatar
    People are forgetting that RIM probably makes money from apps (commission) so killing off playbook won't make sense. No BB10 update for Playbook also won't make sense as they also lose money from the new bb10 apps. Also with 2 million playbook around - its a powerful marketing tool to give away free bb10 updates.
    It doesn't - well not anything that actually matter - there is no loss-leader model here - even Apple with their massive app store does not operate on that model - hardware has to pay for itself.
    RubberChicken76 and JeepBB like this.
    01-25-13 04:24 AM
  10. Morpheus's Avatar
    cough, cough...aircraft industry is already looking into the QNX for avionics upgrades...
    01-25-13 04:53 AM
  11. sexybabe88's Avatar
    I've noticed this also. Well...... The PlayBook is almost two years old.......an eternity in the electronic world. I still hope it gets BB10, but I doubt it
    what do u mean hope? rim has said time and again that the pb will get bb10

    Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk
    just_luc likes this.
    01-25-13 05:24 AM
  12. uncle_numpty's Avatar
    Why is everyone so hung up on upgarding hardware all the time. It's not how much power it's got - it's how you use it.

    Releasing new hardware constantly is just a poor business model that manufacturers have made us buy into - literally.

    There is nothing wrong with the playbook hardware ( actually not quite true - the GPS is lame ), the problem imho is RIM's failure to push the OS development pace and their inability to listen to it's customers ( USB anyone ).

    I'll get me coat
    kdeckels and pbluv like this.
    01-25-13 05:41 AM
  13. wuulfy's Avatar
    i would have thought there is more chance of them launching a "phablet" (hate that name).
    01-25-13 05:51 AM
  14. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    Why is everyone so hung up on upgarding hardware all the time. It's not how much power it's got - it's how you use it.
    Some of us are gadget geeks. My one friend wants to upgrade because he likes retina style displays. The other wants to upgrade because he's a game junkie and running out of space. Another just likes to buy gadgets.

    \
    01-25-13 06:49 AM
  15. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    It doesn't - well not anything that actually matter - there is no loss-leader model here - even Apple with their massive app store does not operate on that model - hardware has to pay for itself.
    Fantastic point. I've read numerous times myself that neither App Store nor iTunes really contribute much to Apple's bottom line. They're almost marketing features designed to sell iOS devices.
    01-25-13 06:53 AM
  16. Banco's Avatar
    Fantastic point. I've read numerous times myself that neither App Store nor iTunes really contribute much to Apple's bottom line. They're almost marketing features designed to sell iOS devices.
    Oh more than that, they're designed to keep people locked in and buying iOS devices in the future, because the exit costs are substantial if you've sunk money into the apps.
    RubberChicken76 and JeepBB like this.
    01-25-13 07:01 AM
  17. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    Oh more than that, they're designed to keep people locked in and buying iOS devices in the future, because the exit costs are substantial if you've sunk money into the apps.
    Great point. Though one of my gripes with a lot of journalists and analysts is that they assume everyone does this and therefore RIM has no opportunity. I know plenty of people with smartphones, but only a few of them regularly pay for apps or music.
    01-25-13 08:05 AM
  18. Cale M's Avatar
    I would be more interested in seeing a BB10 laptop than another tablet. If they insist on a tablet, at least have a laptop that you can take the screen off.
    I've always thought BlackBerry would do great with the Lifebook concept model.

    Is RIM Quietly Killing The Playbook?-life_book3-415x550.jpg

    Laptop, tablet and phone would then all be integrated. It seems a smart match.
    tufcustomer likes this.
    01-25-13 11:11 AM
  19. pbluv's Avatar
    Why is everyone so hung up on upgarding hardware all the time. It's not how much power it's got - it's how you use it.
    Releasing new hardware constantly is just a poor business model that manufacturers have made us buy into - literally.
    Bingo! When I bought my 2 playbooks, I looked at this way: I have a tablet (at a great deal) that does what I want, and it will continue to do so, even if RIM goes bankrupt. I'm still using a 10 year old laptop running XP, and it works just fine. If/when they get updated to bb10 is just bonus.
    ChrisMay and Tim1131 like this.
    01-25-13 11:11 AM
  20. ChrisMay's Avatar
    Bingo! When I bought my 2 playbooks, I looked at this way: I have a tablet (at a great deal) that does what I want, and it will continue to do so, even if RIM goes bankrupt. I'm still using a 10 year old laptop running XP, and it works just fine. If/when they get updated to bb10 is just bonus.
    Good attitude! Pretty much exactly how I feel about it too. (though my laptop is only 2 years old, and runs Windows 7 - mostly because my old one died).
    Tim1131 likes this.
    01-25-13 11:16 AM
  21. houshinto#IM's Avatar
    Considering BB10 will come to the playbook, it's not getting killed. A new product will probably emerge for sure, but that's the same for any device. The key here is support, which RIM will continue to do so all the discounts on accessories is just a nice bonus.
    01-25-13 11:34 AM
  22. blackberryto's Avatar
    Bottomline, everybody is saying pretty much the same thing here. RIM needs to sink some easy shots first, and then they can step out to the 3 point line. If the launch for the phones is strong, I think you will see them implementing many strategies to have BB10 on as many devices as possible, which is why you here the Lenovo rumblings. I am sure they have discussed internally many ways for this to happen, but IMO no firm decisions will be made until we have seen both the Z10 and Q10 launch and be out there for a few months so they can have a real sense of how the devices are moving (and can also give that feedback to potential partners). It would make more sense for Lenovo to license BB10 and start selling cheap tablets and smartphones, and Blackberry could focus on higher-end tablets from a professional perspective that they could actually make money on. I also think RIM has to seriously be thinking about venturing out with a "phablet" (hope that name goes away) because the numbers Samsung is doing with the Galaxy Note are too juicy for anybody in this space to ignore. So is the Playbook as we know it today dead? Yah probably, but if it has BB10 you have a great piece of hardware running great software that will probably outlast your next few smartphones.
    01-25-13 11:44 AM
  23. RubberChicken76's Avatar
    Another point against RIM continuing on with the PlayBook longterm is the distribution of it. Apple and Amazon both have their own gigantic distribution networks and don't have to give away 20-25% of the SRP to stores and distributors or fund retail placement and advertising in a lot of the places where they sell their tablets. RIM doesn't really have their own distribution network and would have to eat into their margins further to get the PlayBook out there.

    Not saying RIM is killing the PlayBook or that the PlayBook won't get OS 2.0. Just don't know how they make money with it, which is what is important.
    01-25-13 11:47 AM
  24. Angus_CB's Avatar
    Oh, settle down. :-)

    You wrote " Well...... The PlayBook is almost two years old.......an eternity in the electronic world.". This suggests that they're still selling the same old thing with no changes or improvements. The reality is - they have improved it in two years.
    Not really. RIM released another product with better hardware specs. but the current WiFi only Playbook is the same as the one released in April 2011.

    Personally I think the Playbook in it's current form has been killed off.
    I can't buy one where I live and see posts from others with the same problem.
    This isn't terribly surprising, it is nearly two years old.

    I suspect RIM will stay in the tablet game though. If not, so what? We buy something else when this one dies.
    01-25-13 11:54 AM
  25. JeepBB's Avatar
    I'd like to think we matter too, though companies have surprised me a lot in the past.
    Meh... there's only a couple of million of us, and I reckon RIM could legitimately claim that we've had a good run for our money - especially those owners that bought at the knock-down prices - and all products have a life... and the life of tech products can make Mayfly's seem long-lived!

    Now that the PB accessories are in give-away sales, it's starting to have the look of a clearance.

    RIM must be getting to a point where they have to make a decision about the PlayBook. 2 million have shipped, they've said the inventory is vastly improved which means they might be starting to run low.

    Either they 1) new a new run; 2) do a new tablet; or 3) get out
    I'd agree with all that.

    As we've discussed in other threads, I don't think it's economic to do (1) and I can't shake my concern over BB10 phones having 2GB RAM vs the PB's 1GB and my gut feel that they wouldn't have specc'ed at 2GB unless it was needed to run BB10 effectively. I don't think it's (3) either because RIM have re-stated their commitment to "the tablet market" a few times now.

    So, my guess is option 2... but it's just a guess.

    I doubt we'll know for sure whether it's box 1, 2 or 3 for a while. I for one would be surprised if Playbook was even mentioned on January 30th, and astonished if "BB10" and "Playbook" were mentioned in the same sentence. RIM'll want the BB10 launch to be all about "THE FUTURE!!!!" and will dwell exclusively on BB10 and the new phones IMHO.
    01-25-13 12:16 PM
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