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Comment by SwellJoe | Hacker News Reader

"iOS and Android devices have much less market penetration than RIM, so, of course their growth rate will be higher."

I'm pretty sure that should read "had much less market penetration", because Android and iOS both currently have larger market share than RIM (according to Nielsen: http://www.marketingcharts.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/03...). I'm honestly surprised RIM had any sales growth, at all. I simply don't know anyone still using a Blackberry, even among people who were formerly absolute fanatics.

I guess the enterprise market moves slowly enough to keep them afloat for another couple quarters, but it certainly doesn't look good.

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I think there are 2 markets here that need to be separated when comparing RIM with Apple and Android.

Corporate and Consumer.

RIM dominates the enterprise/corporate market and as of recent has been trying to break into the consumer market.

Black berries where made for the corporate/work industry. Apple always has made consumer based products. So we are comparing apple to oranges.

It's like taking a car company that's focuses on building trucks and then comparing it to a car company that builds luxury cars.

They are completely different. That being said, when entering into a new market, for instance with RIM entering into the consumer market, it's going to take some time for RIM to gain market share.

Now, has RIM made some bad development platform decisions in their process? yes they have. But if you're going to compare RIM to consumer based companies, I think it's a little premature - give them another year or two.

"give them another year or two"

It's not up to me. The market will decide how much longer RIM has.

I suspect you're overly optimistic about their hold on the enterprise market, as well. While the smart phone market has grown dramatically, and thus RIM can continue to grow sales while losing market share at a tremendous clip, the fact is that if they're making phones no one wants, even enterprises will change eventually. CEOs and CTOs want nice phones, too, and they'll make the necessarily decisions to switch infrastructure to nice phones. This has already happened at every major company I know of that used to be Blackberry-only. They're now offering iPhone and Android to their people, alongside Blackberry, and everyone is obviously (and sensibly) choosing iPhone or Android.

Not the case on LATAM and emerging economies where BB devices are the preference phone for a lot of young people.

BBs just works fine for simple tasks, with low technical knowledge requirements for users, even old ladies can chat with their relatives and friends really easy, email? yes, and of course make calls. Plus in many countries is a sign of distinction and social status. So, sales growth? yes.

I have a floormate who uses a blackberry. He absolutely hates Apple, and I guess he doesn't have the money for an android.

Edit: forgot to mention that his blackberry is at least a few years old.

Most of the blackberry users I know are teen and twenty-something young women.

I may not hang out with very many big corp. folks I suppose, but in my professional sphere it's largely iPhone with a smattering of Android.

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