Executives at Research In Motion (RIM), the company that makes the BlackBerry, are frustrated. In a New York Times interview, Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis asked why RIM's profit and growth go unappreciated. But, although RIM shipped a record 52 million smartphones last fiscal year, a 43 percent jump over the previous year, BlackBerries are losing ground overall. "The industry just doesn’t seem to talk about the firm with the same buzz as Apple, for example," says Helen French at PCR. And Google's Android system has overtaken BlackBerry for the top spot in terms of market share. RIM is trying to recapture its momentum with new phone models and its PlayBook tablet, due out next week, which will feature a completely new operating system. Will these innovations be enough?
Yes. BlackBerries aren't dead yet: It's "too early to start hammering nails into RIM's coffin," says Nicole Lee at CNET. BlackBerries still have "an extremely loyal fan base" and businesses love them because of their security. The phones could use a new user interface — and the new models remain an X factor, "but we can always hope." Bottom line: "It's not too late for RIM to get back on the mend."
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