Industry Analyst Jeff Kagan | Why Does RIM Keep Losing Key Executives

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Jeff Kagan

Tech Analyst

Atlanta, GA, August 31, 2011 — Does RIM have a major problem and is that why so many senior executives keep leaving?

We have watched RIM take a nosedive in recent years since the Apple iPhone and Google Android hit the market.

I have written about this often. I recommended they both keep their existing OS and create a new one. This would both hang onto happy customers and keep from losing those searching for the next new thing.

RIM has updated their existing system, but has not come out with a new version yet.

Also, as RIM struggles, key executives are leaving. In my opinion this will make it even harder for the company to recover.

On the other hand, if they can be replaced with newer thinking executives, perhaps they can still pull up before they crash and burn.

RIM is still a very large and strong company with deep pockets and so many still love their Blackberry devices and are starting to like their tablet computers.

They have a strong, but tired brand name which has not been refreshed in too long.

The good news is they have the time they need to recreate. The bad news is they are losing so many key executives it makes us wonder whether they will pull up in time.

I hope so. RIM Blackberry is important to so many. However the features on iPhones and Androids are very attractive, like web browsing and Apps, and Blackberry is just not there yet.

The writing is on the wall. I hope RIM pulls up in time. Otherwise they will simply be a past success story. I don’t think they will go out of business, but they will no longer be the growing leader they were.

They have lived out the current WAVE they rode to success. The current WAVE is now cresting and going down the other side.

What they do next will make the difference in their future.

Will they create the next WAVE to ride to success or not? They are trying with their tablet computers and with the next version of OS for the Blackberry, but we will just have to watch and see.

Currently RIM is not heading in the right direction.

Contact:

Jeff Kagan

Tech Analyst

770 579 5810

jeff@jeffkagan.com

www.jeffkagan.com