[symmetry2170]

What do you guys think the future of BlackBerry is? Especially on the Verizon network? Personally, I am a consumer who thinks long time. For example, in 5-10 years will I still be able to have an awesome BlackBerry with all these awesome features? Or will something happen and it all fall by the wayside? Call me crazy, but it's how I think.

Granted, technology is always changing and the features we have now will be updated tomorrow, but those are certain things I think about.


What do you all think about this? Is the sky the limit for BlackBerry in the corporate and average consumer world(s)?

[theprep]

I'm pretty sure Blackberry will remain for years to come. Consumer/business side. They are reliable devices and as long as that stays true I believe they are fine.

[divacheri]

I think they will keep evolving and we crackberry heads will keep getting in line to get the latest and greatest.

[Sensesfail99]

Well I couldnt see them stopping or dropping a good thing. I would say as long as the sales stay positive all should be good. I would also think that if sales keep getting better each year I would think it would give them motive to keep updating and makes new bb's and new stuff for them all the time.

[ok4a56]

I think if RIM continues to include BIS users in their update/upgrades I don't see a problem. I think RIM will move more toward the personal smart phone user.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[yogi]

The future of BB, will be very good without problem. But the future of other's, not sure but it seems not too good on the long run? What do you think.

[gwhitegeog]

Certainly, Blackberries are on the up. Here in the UK, we have wall-to-wall advertising, as RIM try to expand there products into new markets (non-business). They have an excellent product range and in many ways have no peers. I just guess RIM might be vulnerable to a takeover (how big are they?) and then by subsumed into a giant company who don't uderstand their product.

There has been massive convergence in the handgeld PDA market (hence we now have smartphones) and the stand alone PDA is dead (e.g. Psion have gone, Palm are struggling) as people didn't want to carry two devices when they could carry one. SE have really moved out of the Symbian-powered smartphone business, as the 900 series (e.g. 910i, 990i) were very dated with buggy software.

I have a Blackberry for 14 months now and replaced a clunky smartphone (SE P990i) and separate Dell Axim PDA - best thing I ever did. I am sure RIM will continue to exapnd their media functionality in their devices and of course nned to move into 3G big time.

Gary

[chollow2]

Chrysler Motor Company has designed a new mobile Wifi system that will be available in car to allow consumers to have fun internet access to the internet for what they consider a small fee every month. With new technology like this being introduced I would think BB will be around for a long time to come.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[rbarthle17]

BB is positioned for a run right to the top. They did it by first capturing the business arena. Now they wade into the personal usage pool smartly by adding entertainment and media features and not removing the core features.

There are people that will never want or need more than a basic phone. But for those that desire a convergence device and like having an all in one tool BB is now there at the top of the short list.

No wireless company currently running BB on their network will drop it. They see it too with the siuccess of the pearl and curve. If the Bold follows suit that should lock them in place for a while.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[gwhitegeog]

I agree totally. The only thing I would add is this: the US is somewhat behind the EU in terms of wireless data speed (e.g. The iPhone was not 3G which was a shock when it was launched in Europe). RIM was a US focussed company but now needs to think of non-US markets first from a marketing point of view. The only thing I miss on my 8820 and Pearl is 3G. I had it 3 years ago on a phone in the UK. We desperately need 3G functionailty on all Blackberries from now. Gary

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kwsmithphoto]

You really can't predict the future. Look at Motorola - it only took a few screw ups to nearly wreck their cell phone biz after many, many years of solid innovation and success. Now they're struggling big time, just pink slipped a lot of their R&D people, and could very well depart the telcomm industry in the very near future.

This, from the company who brought us the Star-Tac, which was, IMHO, the first truly practical cell phone that left everything else on the market at the time in the dust. And it was only a few years ago that the Razr was the coolest thing since sliced bread but they had a few problems which gave it a bad rep, even though the newer versions are great - and not selling.

Very good companies can and do fail virtually overnight. If the Bold has major problems and the Thunder is junque, well then RIM is in serious trouble.

But if they succeed with those products then they're good for another year or three at best if they don't keep topping their latest and greatest. The competition is fierce and the market is fickle with a long memory.

To paraphrase an old joke from the entertainment industry, there are 5 stages of fortune in the tech industry:

1) What's a Blackberry?
2) I want a Blackberry!
3) I want something that's just like a Blackberry!
4) I want something that's better than a Blackberry!
5) What's a Blackberry?

[CrackBlack]

In the field of technology, 5 - 10 calendar years is the equivalent of a lifetime. At the pace of which technology moves today, I for one won't be pondering where RIM will be on chart. It was only yesterday that IBM was synonymous with Computers as is Motoralla was with Cell phones and Palm was with PDA. At the moment, I'll enjoy the ride till the next big wave comes along and I'll use my pocketbook as my surfboard.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[symmetry2170]

In the field of technology, 5 - 10 calendar years is the equivalent of a lifetime. At the pace of which technology moves today, I for one won't be pondering where RIM will be on chart. It was only yesterday that IBM was synonymous with Computers as is Motoralla was with Cell phones and Palm was with PDA. At the moment, I'll enjoy the ride till the next big wave comes along and I'll use my pocketbook as my surfboard.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

Well said, CrackBlack!