RIM is in Trouble: Will They Recover?

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By Tech Analyst Jeff Kagan

Atlanta, GA, July 27, 2011 — RIM has been one of the amazing success stories of the last decade. They led the way through the early years of the smart phone revolution.

However now that the Apple iPhone and Google Android have captured the imagination of the marketplace, RIM looks older and tired.

RIM can indeed recapture their greatness, but several serious things must happen first.

They must reinvent their brand. Energize it in the mind of the customers, investors, workers, media and analysts. They never had to worry about that before. The Blackberry phenomenon always had a life of its own.

However now that there are other hot new devices pouring into the smart phone marketplace the lack of a PR and marketing expertise is really hurting them.

In addition their technology is not up to speed compared to what is already in the marketplace catching attention.

I am not saying RIM should deep six their existing technology. Instead simply add new tech to the mix. That way they can keep their existing customers happy and attract new users and more effectively compete with Apple and Google and others.

They are moving into tablet computers and there are many other hot areas coming. They can hit home runs if they can re-energize their brand and their technology.

However all we have heard to date is talk. Let’s hope RIM can recover before they pass over the top of the WAVE and then start down the other side.

Once that happens, recovery becomes much harder to achieve.

Jeff Kagan

Tech Analyst

770 579 5810

jeff@jeffkagan.com