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Despite RIM CEO Thorsten Heins’ bluster yesterday afternoon about how BlackBerry needs to stick with its own — hopelessly delayed — platform, Reuters reports that the company is indeed seeking out other options. Windows 8, specifically. Which, uh, guys? Not sure how much that’s gonna help.
There are many wonderful things about Windows Phone 8, but financial success and general popularity are not among them. And while the operating system’s business-friendly leanings fit with RIM’s raison d’être, it’s unlikely that it would get folks buying Curves in droves. It’s also an odd fit for Microsoft; RIM’s strengths lie in specific features like BBM, and its proprietary, secure network. As a hardware partner, it’s much less appealing lately. Then again, Microsoft could just scoop them up for patents.
Plan B, which sounds much more sensible, would be for RIM to sell that secure network, or to open it up to other smartphones. That’s similar to the plan that got former CEO Jim Balsillie forced out, which isn’t so much a knock on it as it is on RIM’s having been hellbent on accelerating its decline as much as possible these last several years.
What’s most likely? Given RIM’s recent history of ineptitude, probably nothing more than a sustained downward spiral. But even though its options are bleak, at least has some now.
how do you figure general popularity isnt a feature of windows 8?
A large poll on Zdnet scored at around 84% were looking forward to windows 8, don’t know where you get your facts from, unless apple fanboi tech bloggers are your “source”
ZDnet ? Good luck listening to them or their “readers”
zdnet is incredibly biased against microsoft actually, most techbloggers either ally themselves with Google or Apple and virtually every article is slating MS trying to influence readers, not unlike this article.
windows phones are not that popular specially sales in the UK, so i doubt windows tabes will be any more popular, this is why i did not understand nokia going with windows lol
they shuld of just gone to android they would be constantly making profit, same with RIM and given the fact rim released the android app i would of thought they would of gone the way of android
Have you got the figures to back up that statement?
If the guy can’t spell or capitalise properly, chances are he doesn’t deserve a response.
nd i would think its can not…. not can’t
*Brain Explodes*
you might literally be the most retarded individual on the internet, congratulations
Oh my…
if you want the figures go find them yourself lol
I thought not.
“What’s most likely? Given RIM’s recent history of ineptitude, probably nothing more than a sustained downward spiral.”
Sounds like the perfect time to move to Windows 8/ Windows Phone – it’s worked so well for Nokia ;-P
You really think that Nokia would be in a better position today if they had stuck with Symbian or Meego?
I think he means they should’ve bought Palm and started using webOS.
I wish someone would buy WebOS – it’s a beautiful OS with some very neat ideas that translate fantastically into real world usage. It’s the app collection that’s disappointing with it unfortunately.
Microsoft buying into RIM makes perfect sense if they want to boost there presence in the Enterprise market though.
oh dont say that, you get idiot fools replying to you lol
Irony at its best…
Write Microsoft off at your peril. I’m predicting big things for Windows 8 in all its iterations…
All those who write Microsoft off will be left red(mond) faced once Windows 8 comes out.
*tumbleweed*
Yeah…Udimon dropped a Ball(mer) there. He certainly made a (Power)Point of displaying how he doesn’t Excel at comedy when it takes the form of written Word. There was no real Kinect(ion) with his audience…he really wasn’t Intune with the vibe in the comments section.
You might say he should take his coat and leave. Perhaps through the (Bill) Gate(s) or perhaps even out of the Window(s); maybe to catch a bus, or some other form of transport, like the Metro.
I wouldn’t be so brazen as to suggest this however as there is every chance that he’s an (e)Xbox(er) who could really Surface some bruises. Now that would be a Visio(n) and it’d be a real Project for me to regain Access some of the facial Expression(s Web) I’m used to.
I’m happy I’ve been able to Share(Point) some of these terrible puns with you. Don’t worry, there is at least one (Silver)light at the end of the tunnel. At least there won’t be a SQL…
Hasta La Vista…
The difference between Windows Phone and Windows 8 tablets, is that the tablets will be running the same system, WinRT/Metro , that’s in the face of every new desktop and laptop PC owner (and eager upgrader) from the time of Windows 8′s launch later this year.
That’s why MS doesn’t need to subsidise £160 tablets, it has a ready-made market saturation strategy, to stick an app store icon on the first screen people get thrown in their face when they log on, before they even think of buying a tablet.
And if Windows 8 on PCs is welcomed even by only a fraction of current users, which drives tablet sales, then the whole ‘shared ecosystem’, especially if MS are as generous with their multi device app and media licensing as Apple are (and the recent Xbox Live cloud profile stuff suggests they might be) will mean more stuff will leak over onto Windows Phone 8, and Win Phone sales will start to be driven by win desktop/tablet users, the same way as mac sales are being driven by iOS users today.
And if that happens, Stephen Elop may eventually be proved right after all.
However, none of this will happen until the “Where’s my start button?” new user confusion rage storm abates.
It’s obvious. RIM looks at Nokia who have done a similar thing to what they’re trying to do (effectively a change of strategies) and see that it is (kinda) working and copies it.
Just four days ago, I read an article saying that RIM are might sell their hardware division and becoming a software-only company. Now they might be abandoning their own software and using Windows 8 as a crutch? This company really has no idea where they’re going.
RIM called in strategists and financiers a while ago to discuss splitting the company into two. These articles are largely just speculation. I think their best bet is to licence out BBM to their competitors. Either way, they still have to come out with some truly amazing hardware, whichever route they choose.
I would personally like to see Microsoft buy/become sole licensee to BBM, other than RIM(hardware). A WP8 Nokia and Windows 8 Surface with BBM hardwired into the ecosystem would be the icing on the cake.