Are Blackberry Phones Becoming Obsolete

The BlackBerry phone used to be a sign of elitism amongst the corporate IT crowd, but it’s now a consumer item that is largely being kicked around. Is the BlackBerry phone becoming obsolete? If RIMM, BlackBerry’s creator, doesn’t change anything, then yes. There is still time for RIMM to make a comeback, but their window is quickly closing due to some serious problems.

Consumer Item:

The BlackBerry brand began as a phone targeted to the corporate IT crowd. BlackBerry was never envisioned as a consumer item, and RIMM didn’t know how to handle the switch when consumers started liking it. BlackBerry was one of the first phones to really integrate all the different business needs into one, and its power was revolutionary when it was made.

That all changed when the iPhone and Android smartphones came out. Many people liked the keyboard on the BlackBerry, but that changed when touch screens became the big thing. The power that BlackBerry phones offered didn’t seem so great when they were put next to iPhones and Android phones, and there are many other aspects that consumers are tired of.

If BlackBerry wants to stay current, then they need to overcome these barriers by producing a phone that really amazes consumers. RIMM still primarily markets to businesses, but the majority of its customer base comes from consumers. RIMM needs to understand what consumers want, and it needs to incorporate those preferences.

Failing Businesses:

There are two other reasons why BlackBerry needs to stop marketing to businesses if it wants to stay current. One reason is because the iPhone and Android phones are being primarily used by businesses. They have more functions, apps and power. Corporate users typically need the strongest hardware, and BlackBerry has not provided strong hardware for years.

The second reason is because most of the businesses that still endorse BlackBerry are going under. Most of its corporate customer base does not have the money for new devices, and they are not interested in buying newer BlackBerry devices. This hurts their sales numbers, and it sends a strong signal to other corporations that BlackBerry phones are bad.

These problems are almost insurmountable for any company, and it might be a good idea if BlackBerry abandons its original customer base for a few years. This will give RIMM enough time to come out with a good product that really impresses its consumer base, and it will give RIMM the assets it needs to enter this market at a later time.

App Availability:

The number of apps for the BlackBerry is probably the biggest reason for it losing customers. The iPhone and Android phones have one big selling point: they have hundreds of thousands of apps. The apps let users play games, make documents and provide a long list of new functions.

BlackBerry doesn’t have nearly as many apps, and most of their apps are outdated and not very fun or useful. Buying apps is like buying new software for the computer. If you can’t get the right software, then why bother getting the computer?

Many developers shy away from BlackBerry because it is somewhat harder to make apps for their devices, and most of the apps are not as lucrative as iPhone or Android apps. Most developers don’t even think about making BlackBerry apps, and this is hurting the BlackBerry brand.

If BlackBerry wants to stay current, then it needs to start attracting developers. If BlackBerry cannot do this, then it needs to start hiring developers to churn out new apps for consumers. The latter is improbable, and would probably lead to poor results. RIMM needs developers, or its brand will quickly become obsolete.

Conclusion:

The BlackBerry brand used to be the strongest smartphone on the market, but it is now a joke of a device. Few people are using their devices, and there are many problems that RIMM is overlooking. RIMM can make a comeback, but only if it takes a hard look at these problems first. RIMM has some serious work ahead of it, but it can stay current if it starts working now. If RIMM doesn’t make a drastic change, then be prepared to say goodbye to the BlackBerry brand.

Author Bio:

Katelyn writes about Bit9 sever security and endpoint protection for small businesses.