Although the popular phone is losing ground against the iPhone and Android and pass through one of the hardest times in its history, is determined not to give up. This is their new strategy.
Research In Motion-RIM-facing one of the most complex in history. In the past year, the Canadian company that popularized the smartphones in the corporate world with its BlackBerry has felt the weight of Apple and Google, with its iPhone and Android, respectively, have begun to relegate the leading role. In According to analyst IDC, although they went from selling 10.6 million phones in the first quarter of 2010 to 13.9 million in the same period of 2011, RIM lost more than 5 points in its global market share . United States alone, the company fell 33.9% to 26.1%, while Apple rose from 27.9% to 28.6% and impressive Android jumped 15% to 25.8%. This is coupled with the moderate trend in showing their equipment purchases. According to analyst Nielsen, while 50% of people thinking of buying an Android device and 25% will buy an iPhone in the next year, covers only 15% have a new BlackBerry.
However, before ‘lower arm’, RIM is determined to give the fight, for which began a process of reinvention that has carefully studied the users, its competitors and the market. “We are entering a new generation of equipment, in which smart phones are giving way to hand-held mobile computers,” said Mike Lazaridis, RIM president during the BlackBerry World, the biggest event of the company, which was held in May Orlando, USA. As part of this strategy, the company introduced equipment directly facing Apple and Android. For example, ‘renewed’ Bold phone, one of his more famous models, now have touch screen and a more modern interface, while maintaining its distinctive keyboard. To this is added the launch of a digital tablet, called Playbook will be integrated with smart phones and brand will be officially launched in June in Colombia. “We offer a complete Internet experience, unlike other products like the iPhone. In addition, we are creating local applications so that each country has its own content,” said Rick Costanzo, RIM director for Latin America.
In this case, the company created alliances that helped to integrate services and tools that take advantage of the weaknesses of its competitors. For example, signed a pact to develop content using Adobe Flash technology, which uses more than 90% of internet sites and that Apple decided to leave on their iPhones and iPads (hence many web pages are not on those devices) . In these joints also takes a number of competitors like Microsoft, which will provide search services and geo-location, or Google, which will provide support for Android applications. “We will invest only on the BlackBerry platform to make the default provider Bing search and maps.
Not discuss here Phone Windows 7,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft’s chairman. In the end, it is clear that RIM-BlackBerry is not prepared to abandon a market and competitive, will be very lucrative in the near future. “According to Gartner, by 2016, 100% of phones sold in the world will be intelligent. I think there is room for multiple players in a market of 1,200 million people,” concludes Audiac Felix, director of corporate accounts, government and wholesale RIM.
