[jwebste9]

What RIM's New Smartphone Needs to Succeed - PCWorld

Read this article this morning. Wondering how anyone else feels about what it has to say. Seamed like it address alot of the issues we see in the forums here alot.

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added by pk, here is the text of the article.....

Research in Motion may have something big up its sleeves.

The company best known as RIM is said to be working on a revamped version of its BlackBerry smartphone. The device, reports suggest, will boast a touchscreen, a slide-out keyboard, and a brand new operating system that immediately brings the iPhone to mind.

The apparent similarity is no coincidence: RIM's new device, The Wall Street Journal reports, is being built specifically to better complete with Apple's prized device. The iPhone, combined with the growing number of Android-based handsets, has been chipping away at RIM's share of the mobile market for too long -- and now, RIM seems ready to do something about it.

RIM's New BlackBerry: The Touchscreen Competitor
Image courtesy TheCellularGuru.com According to the latest blog-driven rumors, RIM's updated BlackBerry will be called the Torch 9800 and will debut on AT&T sometime this summer. If the various "people familiar with the device" are to be believed, the BlackBerry Torch 9800 will feature swipe-style controls, a universal search bar, and home screens with support for user-selected icons.

Other suspected specs for the new BlackBerry smartphone include 4GB of internal storage and a 5-megapixel camera. The device would likely use RIM's upcoming BlackBerry 6 OS, which features an improved Webkit browser and built-in social networking integration.

That's all fine and dandy, and no doubt a step up from RIM's previous efforts -- but the one thing RIM's new BlackBerry really needs to compete is something that can't be listed on a spec sheet. What the phone needs is sexiness.

Mind you, I'm not talking about the kind of sexiness someone like Scarlett Johansson has (though that certainly couldn't hurt). No, what RIM needs is the kind of sexiness products like the iPhone and the HTC EVO 4G possess. It's a certain difficult-to-define quality: a sleekness, an allure, a je ne sais quoi that grabs your attention and evokes your desire. Again, not in the same way that Scarlett does -- I hope.

RIM's BlackBerry Challenge
Here's RIM's problem: While BlackBerry is still the dominant mobile operating system in America, its numbers are steadily slipping. At the same time, the position of Apple's iPhone and phones running Google's Android operating system are steadily climbing. All combined, it doesn't add up to a good equation for the folks at RIM.

While businesses love the BlackBerry, it's never had that "X-factor" -- that sexiness that makes it exciting and alluring. When most people envision the smartphone battle of the future, they think of a fight between Apple and Android. Each platform has its own style of rabid fanboy, and each platform is regularly coming out with a hot new handset that becomes an event both online and off.

BlackBerry, on the other hand, is reliable. It's secure. But it isn't sexy. As my colleague Tony Bradley articulated, RIM's previous BlackBerry releases have been "like consolation prize[s] for business professionals tied to BlackBerry who wished they could have an iPhone." Put simply, they weren't the phones people walked into a store wanting to try out.

The smartphone market is changing. Apple has its new iPhone 4; Google has its Android 2.2 upgrade and more new devices than you can count without an abacus. The competition's fierce. And unless RIM's bold new BlackBerry manages to wow the crowds and draw new users in, the company risks losing its spot as a relevant contender.

So crank up the J. Timberlake, RIM: It's time for you to bring the sexy back. As JT himself might say, go ahead -- be gone with it.

When not contemplating degrees of sexiness, Contributing Editor JR Raphael writes the new Android Power blog and cracks wise at eSarcasm, his geek-humor getaway. Come say hi on Facebook: facebook.com/The.JR.Raphael

[elvin1983]

As far as their consumer business, sure, the article touches on a pretty key factor. The handset design must appeal to new users, and users looking for a switch in device. Let's just hope that it delivers... it certainly looks promising!

[davidnc]

Well I really do hope all who pay for this device get their money's worth and it does everything well and its not junk
But its not a device I would want , just dont care for sliders(make, model,etc doesnt matter) , Period

[pkcable]

Moving to News & Rumors

[T�nis]

"What the phone needs is sexiness ... No, what RIM needs is the kind of sexiness products like the iPhone and the HTC EVO 4G possess. It's a certain difficult-to-define quality: a sleekness, an allure, a je ne sais quoi that grabs your attention and evokes your desire ... While businesses love the BlackBerry, it's never had that "X-factor" -- that sexiness that makes it exciting and alluring ..."

This is really ridiculous. It's pathetic that people fall for idiotic (and short-lived) "wow factor.".

" BlackBerry, on the other hand, is reliable. It's secure. But it isn't sexy."

Thankfully. So RIM should develop something LESS practical and LESS secure in order to give simple-minded, easily "wowed" people something more "sexy"?

.

[i7guy]

"What the phone needs is sexiness ... No, what RIM needs is the kind of sexiness products like the iPhone and the HTC EVO 4G possess. It's a certain difficult-to-define quality: a sleekness, an allure, a je ne sais quoi that grabs your attention and evokes your desire ... While businesses love the BlackBerry, it's never had that "X-factor" -- that sexiness that makes it exciting and alluring ..."

This is really ridiculous. It's pathetic that people fall for idiotic (and short-lived) "wow factor.".

" BlackBerry, on the other hand, is reliable. It's secure. But it isn't sexy."

Thankfully. So RIM should develop something LESS practical and LESS secure in order to give simple-minded, easily "wowed" people something more "sexy"?

.

I was going to say the same thing, but you said it better. Maybe I'm less shallow than some others, but "cool" and "sexy" is the last thing I look for in a phone. If I did I might not be using a BBery. In a way the S2 is "sexy" and "cool", although both qualities are clearly in the eye of the beholder.

[Totalimmortal363]

I really hope this does well, and I've said this before. Every Blackberry I've had has always been reliable, save a few battery pulls here and there. If they can get the consumer side right with this, they'll have a winner in my book. I really hope this works out and if it does I'll be selling it.

[breakmedown]

The average new consumer is very shallow. They do want sexy and the best thing. BB is good at what they do, but I think we need to realize it's losing it's allure on a consumer level. It'll be long before it loses it's business level, but to keep up with consumers, it needs those things, like it or not.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[mjixxx]

Well said break. When its all said and done RIM is a business out there trying to maintain a strong margin. Whether sexy is shallow it still sells and business, radio, tv etc know this. How many talk show hosts dress provocative in order to allure the viewer?

[jetman1287]

The average new consumer is very shallow. They do want sexy and the best thing. BB is good at what they do, but I think we need to realize it's losing it's allure on a consumer level. It'll be long before it loses it's business level, but to keep up with consumers, it needs those things, like it or not.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

I disagree, I don't think BB is very good at what they do. This article mentions that BB's are reliable. NOT true.

I can live without sexy and flashy as long as the thing performs well!

[Moonbase0ne]

"What the phone needs is sexiness ... No, what RIM needs is the kind of sexiness products like the iPhone and the HTC EVO 4G possess. It's a certain difficult-to-define quality: a sleekness, an allure, a je ne sais quoi that grabs your attention and evokes your desire ... While businesses love the BlackBerry, it's never had that "X-factor" -- that sexiness that makes it exciting and alluring ..."

This is really ridiculous. It's pathetic that people fall for idiotic (and short-lived) "wow factor.".

" BlackBerry, on the other hand, is reliable. It's secure. But it isn't sexy."

Thankfully. So RIM should develop something LESS practical and LESS secure in order to give simple-minded, easily "wowed" people something more "sexy"?

.

Since RiM is trying to sell to the Consumer Market, why can't they make a BB that is both???

Sexy/Exciting/New/Fresh

Or should they keep releasing the same old design they've had for X amount of years simply because it "works"?

[Steve Rizla]

I disagree, I don't think BB is very good at what they do. This article mentions that BB's are reliable. NOT true.

I can live without sexy and flashy as long as the thing performs well!

Actually, BlackBerry's are very good at what they were originaly designed to do. They were designed to be a business smartphone. BlackBerry's have trouble with being good at what people want them to be, a 2nd generation smartphone/toy.

iPhone/Android phones are better at delivering the new generation of smartphone/toys because they were able to 'start from scratch' after seeing what customers wanted. RIM, unfortunately has to worry about morphing their 1st gen smartphone platform into the new 2nd generation platform.

RIM also had to develop their OS from scratch where Apple used and improved the OS that they had been using on Ipods, etc. Google is using parts of an OS that also existed before.

I'm sure RIM could easily create an iPhone killer if they didn't have to worry about it being compatible with their current infrastructure/platform, BES, BIS, etc.

[infamyx]

The numbers of Blackberry faithful dwindle by the day, especially amongst releases of the iPhone 4, HTC Incredible and HTC EVO 4g (my new baby) and unreleased Samsung Galaxy for Tmo and Droid X for VZW its not going to be easy. That's not even including WP7 when it releases.

People do more on their mobile devices now than plain emails and texting. Google and Apple are bringing new features by the truckload and RIM just can't match it.

You can only ship so many 3 year old prepaid Curves before you're going to have to up the Ante and compete against the big dogs. Otherwise its going to be smothered by the competition.

RIM needs that cool factor to win back the hearts its loss and bring in new users who are being drawn in to other platforms.

[amazinglygraceless]

" BlackBerry, on the other hand, is reliable. It's secure. But it isn't sexy."

Thankfully. So RIM should develop something LESS practical and LESS secure in order to give simple-minded, easily "wowed" people something more "sexy"?

Thankfully, you are not working for RIM in R&D, Marketing or Advertising.

While you are off being so high minded and so far above the "simple minded"
you must deal with ponder this. Appealing to the general consumer, secure,
practical and reliable are not mutually exclusive.

In all of the hubris of that post all you have said is you want RIM to maintain
the status quo. Yeah, that will grow their market It's working so well
for them now (as evidenced by their eroding marketshare)

[PurpleSwordfish]

I like to think that the slider is going to really help. I think a Storm 3 and a damn good OS would fill the sexy need, as well. I wasn't a fan of the slider form factor when I first saw it. Part of that is from me having major reliability issues with sliders in the past.

Now I find myself wishing it was a CDMA device. The last round of pictures that got leaked make it look really cool.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[amazinglygraceless]

I like to think that the slider is going to really help. I think a Storm 3 and a damn good OS would fill the sexy need, as well. I wasn't a fan of the slider form factor when I first saw it. Part of that is from me having major reliability issues with sliders in the past.

I am not a fan of sliders (moving parts are a deal breaker) or touchscreens as
done by RIM but there is no denying that both of those types of devices will
absolutely help the BlackBerry brand.

I will never use either but I seriously want RIM to execute them well and get
them out into the market.

[Moonbase0ne]

I don't mind sliders. I wouldn't pick one as my 1st choice, but what I like about the 9800 is that you can use a virtual k/b when you want and don't have to always slide out the physical k/b, unlike the Palm Pre +.

[Thud Hardsmack]

Sliders are the least likely thing I'd consider for a phone; clamshell/flip is a viable option but I'm not keen on moving parts in something I use a lot. I do like the look of the 9800, but I don't think I'd get one as it doesn't have SurePress, which I really, really like. Sadly, I think they left it out because of room/space requirements, and also because with a physical keyboard typing on the screen is a little redundant, not because someone thought it was a failure. Think about how much room the mechanics use on the S2 with space for the battery, then add a few millimeters for extra plastic and other bits to be able to have a sliding screen. No room for SurePress in the 9800's present configuration; it'd have to be at least a couple mm thicker which would disuade me from buying it for the same reasons I avoided the Moto Droid - it's a beast and no SurePress.

[JRSCCivic98]

Well, regardless of the article, one thing is most certainly certain (lol).... the Slider IS NOT "sexy". You know, renaming it to the "Torch" was actually a good thing... it will make it easier to crack jokes when it goes up in smoke. lol

[tack]

I think the article is right on with RIM needing to building the wow factor. Most of you argue that business users do not care about sexiness in their phones, and while you personally may not, I disagree. I am a heavy business user, but I am also a consumer. I want some of the latest features, and not just email. I want a phone where I don't replace the trackball 3 times a year or the screen on the first 2 doesn't work.

Perception and the wow factor sell in marketing, and the smartphone market is and will be won or lost based on marketing and what people want, not IT departments. IT departments only hold sway until high up enough executives get caught by the wow factor and push for change over a period of time, especially in smaller and medium sized businesses. Small and medium sized business employ most of the people.

I hope BB6 is all it needs to be, but they also need to pair it with a great phone. I dare say the Storm name is tainted and has lost the marketing game. I love my Storm2, but 90% of the people I meet perceive them as crap with a poor screen technology. Most people don't want Surepress, and in order to make a thinner, thus sexier phone, I think RIM probably need to remove it.

[RadioRaiders]

I agree iPhones and Androids are stealing RIM users. RIM does need a little revamping but I hope not too much. I kind of like their basic hardware and software style, I hope they keep the same vein but just amp it up. If they try to make it too glossy and copy Apple or Android they'll sink.

I also think RIM needs to open things up a little bit and stop all the Service Books crap and making people buy BIS/BES plans, and give the end user a little more freedom if they don't want that "buisness user" angle and just want the more of the "normal phone" angle... yes, yes, I know the BlackBerry is not a normal phone, but why not give it the option to be for those who want that?

[CGI]

9000, 9630, 9650, 9700... same girl, different dress.

Oh, I know the differences... I know! But let's be real.

Until proven otherwise, the 9800 will be same and OS6 will just look "fresh", yet perform like the others.

[CSGK]

So maybe I am totally wrong with this, but since blackberries are business orientated phones that have made progress in the consumer market that they were never really supposed to belong? For a while I'd say Blackberries were the best smartphones available and that is why they did so well with people choosing them for personal phones. Maybe now with all the new devices RIM won't enjoy the success they recently had, but then again it was more of a bonus anyway. They can return to what they were originally going for and still put out some great devices that will be more consumer friendly. I guess this was to say that maybe RIM isn't in as much trouble as many people seem to think haha.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Thud Hardsmack]

[...]Most people don't want Surepress, and in order to make a thinner, thus sexier phone, I think RIM probably need to remove it.

I agree with all points except this one: RIM shouldn't remove it; instead make it an option, thereby keeping the users who love it and attracting new who might not. As I posted in another thread, while it might be my opinion on the size of the device the reality is if they remove SurePress and keep the hardware minimal as they usually do, the Apple/Android fanboys will be all over the Storm forums. Anyone wanting to get info on the new Storm after that will have to wade through a hundred "Storm sucks" before finding useful info on a device that they won't be interested in anymore by the time they get there.

[Jake Storm]

Stats are misleading.
RIM doesn't have as big a market share as they did last year, but because the market is growing, they aren't dropping in actual number of customers.

The article makes it sound like the end is near for RIM unless drastic changes are met. That's far from the truth. But then again, what would you expect from the author of an Android blog.