With so much of 2010 seemingly devoted to one of its arguably cooler competitors, you’d be forgiven for thinking Research In Motion (RIM) had resigned themselves to a quiet year.
But while the BlackBerry manufacturer is far from making the grandiose claims we’ve come to expect from its self-important rival - it has had something of a busy week. In the last seven days, there were some big announcements from RIM, as well as further speculation about plans for a gadget to rival the iPad. So what’s going on? Is the company making a renewed effort to convince consumers that Apple is not the only fruit?
Of course, it does seem a little unfair to continually compare RIM’s BlackBerry range to that of the iPhone. But it can’t be ignored that while they appear to have a different core audience, they do seem to be treading on one another’s turf with increasing frequency. On August 3rd, RIM announced the launch of a brand new operating system which “retains the trusted features that distinguish the BlackBerry brand while delivering a fresh, approachable and engaging experience that is both powerful and easy to use”. This includes more multimedia functionality for smartphone users such as better podcasting options and touch-based features like ‘pinch to zoom’.
But what would be the first host for this new OS? Well, on the very same day, RIM announced the launch of its latest smartphone - a new 3.2-inch touchscreen model. Aesthetically, the BlackBerry Torch may not have the cool factor of an iPhone, but with Apple still reeling from reception problems on its fourth generation model, now could be just the right time for RIM to score some brand points. Of course, there are brand perceptions that make the Torch more appealing to some. It could be argued the BlackBerry is considered a more serious phone for those who care less for the frivolity of Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja. And, as RIM is enhancing it’s offering but keeping the full tactile QWERTY keyboard and email/messaging facilities people have come to know and trust - it could potentially build on its existing good name.
But it hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for BlackBerry users of late. It seems the security enjoyed by 46 million global users is less impressive to some world leaders than others, who just a few days ago, announced they were making moves to ban the devices in their territories. While Barack Obama famously requested changes be made to White House protocol to allow him access to his handset, it seems Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates are less enthusiastic. As the BlackBerry encrypts data through secure international centres, it provides a more secure network which is more difficult to monitor. And, according to a report in The Guardian, “India, Kuwait and China have also raised concerns”. So how will this impact the business users’ smartphone of choice in such important emerging markets? Only time will tell.
It will be interesting to see how Research In Motion copes with this new found international pressure and if it has an impact on the launch of its new OS and potential ‘iPhone killer’. Whether the rumours are true that the firm is developing a ‘BlackPad’ is anyone’s guess, but it seems clear the ‘CrackBerry’ will continue to fight Steve Jobs’ minimalist army - at least for smartphone market dominance.
