Recently with all the new mobile devices being released (iPhones, Androids, etc.) Blackberry has been struggling to keep up, since many devices are offering interesting apps, and new interesting interfaces. Due to all of the new devices, rumors say that RIM (Research in Motion) is planning to release an all touchscreen device in order to appeal to many modern users.
However this can be a mistake, now I am not going to chat about the new device in this article, I will simply point out the obvious flaw in RIMs plan here (assuming such a device is being planned, and sources say it is). First of all, after some of BlackBerry’s service outages customers have been furious. The reason for this is simple, look at a BlackBerry; it offers simple and secure email, messaging (BB Messenger), and other communication services. They are or were known for their reliability, not for their wide selection of great apps (sarcasm, there is no wide selection of apps that appeal to costumers). People stick with BlackBerry for three reasons, their reliability, their great communication services, and their keyboard. Of course there are many more reasons but these are the main ones. So when the outages occurred many customers were outraged due to the fact that their businesses rely on BB, and if the customer is using BB for its reliability, well imagine how they feel. Many customers have left BB for that reason, others stick with it since they love their messaging services, which have proven to be hard to match, and the rest stick with BB for its great keyboard. Not many smartphones have great physical keyboards that can match BlackBerry’s full QWERTY setup. Now reliability is questionable due to the outage that caused BB’s normally great Enterprise system to be questioned, along with its messaging services.
Now that I’ve explained a bit about BB’s outages lets get to the point, the rumored touchscreen only device. By making such a device BlackBerry would lose their customers that use their phones for the exclusive keyboard that BB is famed for. So a large amount of customers would be disappointed there. Looking at devices such as the iPhone, Android, and other touchscreen devices that provide a great interface, and a large selection of apps, they all have a solid amount of enjoyable apps that are hard to match. Awesome apps are often associated with touchscreen smartphones, and many customers expect to have them when they buy one. So if BlackBerry decides to make a touchscreen only phone they will automatically be competing with the iPhone and the large selection of Android phones, and maybe even the Windows section. Now both Apple, with iOS, and Google with Android have had time to gain popularity and set up app services with a variety of apps for users to choose from. So BlackBerry would be at a disadvantage since they cannot compete with them, their app store cannot really compare to the one of Apple, or Android. So they wouldn’t be able to compete with others allowing people to seek better choices for apps, and interface, and they would lose their keyboard, which in many cases is the only thing that is keeping BlackBerry users from leaving, or at least for those who haven’t left already.
Just look at the BlackBerry PlayBook, the tablet that RIM set out to make. They entered a market in which they had not previously been in, that along with the ridiculous price of $499 didn’t help their sales. Not that the PlayBook is a bad tablet, it’s a good one, but it’s price was just too steep. It however was now lowered to $199 making it a good deal. Similar to what happened to HP, except they discontinued their product and launched a fire sale, which caused their $99 tablets to get very popular, much more popular than they were when they had their original price tag ($499). Hopefully RIM will think about what they are doing to ensure their new device is accepted among users. Don’t get me wrong, I like certain devices from BB, like their Bold 9700 which I happen to own personally, and what keeps me from changing it is their keyboard, and their messaging services. I wasn’t too happy about the outages but I lived through them. So I don’t hate Blackberry, I just don’t see a release of a touchscreen only phone being the answer to their problems. I myself won’t be buying a new blackberry, since I only need messenger, I don’t care for their touchscreen devices, since I’ve seen better touch interfaces.
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