Musings —01.23.2012 05:00 PM
—Olive on RIM
Heard about the shake-up while at Son One’s game last night, from some other parents afterwards (we lost, to one of the worst teams in the GTHL). They said RIM’s stock price would be juiced Monday morning. I wasn’t so sure. “Too little, too late,” said I. “Bringing in a guy who was already in won’t work.”
And it didn’t.
It was ‘too little too late’ for RIM once the PlayBook launched. They’ve been a dead company walking ever since. Only a matter of time until they’re acquired for their patents. Waterloo isn’t gonna do well in all of this, unfortunately. 🙁
It is kinda sad because with the new operating system I’ve heard that the PlayBook is competitive… they just screwed up the launch…
In defence of hope for RIM (which is not quite the same thing as in defence of RIM, but anyways):
The kids and old guys in my shop alike love the new Bold. At first I didn’t know why. I was grateful to get upgraded to a Torch, but having seen the typing accuracy and internet speed of the iPhone 4 now want one of those instead. But the Bold’s popularity makes me think that there is a lucrative niche market for a business handheld device with keypad that is easy to read, easy to write with, and fast. I think RIM can stay afloat doing that.
As to Android. If I understand QMX’s promise correctly, it will support Android apps? If that’s true, then doesn’t it neutralize the platform debate and make competition an issue of tech specs? The late 2012 timing is brutal, however, and may make the point moot.
As to the PlayBook. The idea of having only one wireless account is smart. A simple bigger screen that is easily stored (even in a suit) that lets you surf and read emails is smart. But only if you can’t buy something better (iPad) for the same price. The PlayBook was released before it did those things, and released at a price that didn’t let it compete. $200 and QMX might let it be a smart device.
So. Problems of execution, not vision (except for the Torch).
2-0 loss to GPR 2000 AA’s? That game? Ouch…that was their first win in 2 years.
RIM’s problems, in my view, stem from not being able to make good decisions. The co-CEO arrangement was fine when times were good: there aren’t really that many tough decisions to make when your product is outselling everyone and you’ve convinced yourself that no one can touch your product. Making good decisions in hard times is another matter. It makes you do goofy things like bet the farm on a half-finished product like Playbook instead of putting that R&D from the QNX buy into where you’re already bleeding profusely: phones. That’s why they’re in the spot they’re in now. The product that might have saved them in 2011 won’t be ready until almost the start of 2013.
I’ll be surprised if RIM is still in operation in its current form 18 months from now.