Why RIM Is Screwed: Limited Market Opportunity, Losing AT&T Share, Margins Getting Worse | Hacker News Reader

Why RIM Is Screwed: Limited Market Opportunity, Losing AT&T Share, Margins Getting Worse

alleyinsider.com

7 pointsmarkbao9 comments

With all of the snafus that iPhone users have encountered of late (problems with iTunes, activation woes, iPhone instability, bad AT&T customer service, MobileMe problems) there is plenty of opportunity for RIM to have a sustainable business. They may even cannibalize disappointed iPhone users.

I have an iPhone, and I like it lots, but my friend who has a blackberry can't stand using it. There's one immutable factor: There are lots of people out there who prefer to type on their smartphone with two thumbs. Enough to make a good business, especially if you are willing to learn from the iPhone's successes and failures.

The feedback I have been hearing is that the Thunder is a crippled iPhone, but the Bold... wow.

A proper keyboard is still a killer feature for a _lot_ of people, and adding in the 'missing' 3G and a usable web browser should help them hold on to corporate users and gather a decent number of teenagers and geeks.

I have a bold on my hands right now, and while it is relatively nice device, it's web browser leaves a lot to be desired. The rendering performance is not up to par, zooming in and out, and overrall navigation are not in the same league as the iPhone.

Of course, email/messaging, typing, are excellent. The screen is really nice too.

So, it all depends on what do you use your main device for, email, or web surfing.

Coorporate people, probably care more for email, while normal users, about surfying, apps, and shiny things.

Since the growth in future of smartphones is more in normal users, and not coorporate, the iPhone will soon eclipse BB, and it will start eating it's turf.

I honestly think that RIM just don't get customer stuff. I remember a little over two years a go, argueing with one of their engineers, and they were making clear that mp3/video playing is not a big deal (and they didn't care for), and that cameras and external memory are security risks.

Well, these are the same things that normal customers want. Eventually, reluctanty they are coming to their senses, that even the Coorporate devices are used by PEOPLE, that actually kinda care for fun things too. If iPhone gets their email up to par with BB, then they will soon starting eating Rims lunch.

So maybe the iPhone is an opportunity for Mobile Opera to make some inroads? I guess every smartphone needs a really good web browser now.

RIM has some solid products, no doubt. It's hard to imagine the iPhone will be able to cut into their core market without a physical keyboard and a BES equivalent.

The trouble for RIM is that their current stock price is predicated on continuing growth into the consumer market, something the iPhone (and potentially Android) may make more problematic.

Blackberry for life.

I know I say this a lot, but I mean it. You can poo poo this and that about the iphone, but the utility of the blackberry can't be rivaled.

So looking forward to the bold..

i have a BB, and it just lying on my floor, unused. Even the Samsung Instinct (iPhone wanna be), is more pleasurable to use.

I just can't stand the outadet UI, and washed out screen anymore.

(P.s. I work in mobile, so I use all kinds of devices all the time, so not an average user).

Business users have blackberries. I don't see a lot of IT managers springing for iphones so their employees can do less work and more play.

blackberry = business iphone = consumer

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