RIM has to start building marketshare with BB10 fast!
I had meetings with a vendor of a product that part of the solution is an app on a smartphone, and another with a major federal contractor talking about biometrics/CAC cards for mobile computing authentication. I asked both about Blackberry support and the vendor said that they don't now and are worried about doing one because "RIM's future isn't looking great" and because their marketshare is so low. This is for a product made for Government use! The major fed contractor showing off biometrics on an iPad the response to Blackberry was they are tanking so they aren't looking into it. This is not good! The fact that developers and contractors who are delivering products for primarily to the US Federal Government are saying things like this shows how critical it is that RIM get BB10 to market and put tons of marketing into it. They also have to start changing the predominant message out there that is they are going out of business. My boss even asked me if they were going to go under earlier in the week.
I did tell the one vendor that they should try to convert the Android version of the app to a Playbook app and test it out, and explained that the new OS on the phones coming out will be able to run these too. He seemed interested in looking into it.
RIM you are about to lose a lot more US business from the federal sector because everyone thinks you are going out of business! You need to do something about this now! Maybe start seeding functional BB10 Dev Alphas in the Government for free, talking to major federal contractors and developers, etc. Get RIM reps out and about in DC showing off Fusion, show off working BB10 devices, etc. End of FY 12 funding spending sprees will start soon!
Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using Crackberry App!
Strange way to go out of business
Did you explain they have 78 million subscribers and growing? They have over $2B in cash and no dept? They are but 6 months from releasing a phone at the front line of mobile technologies? Or, did you tell them they should do a little research instead of listening to the Apple owned media?
RIM will not cease operations. They will become more agile. Yes they will likely have an operating loss this quarter. However, that is expected for an organization going through a total transformation.
The share price is based on misinformation and does not reflect the true state of the company. The loss of US customers is problematic but does not mean the death knell. It just means they have to become a smaller company.
All that said. I am very disappointed the marketing division does not appear to be doing anything. They need to get a hold of the message and turn the public perception around.