Blackberry STORM: A case of the Me-To's

It has been incredibly interesting to watch how all the cell phone manufacturers have been scrambling to compete with the iPhone.    RIM's latest release with the STORM is no exception to the desperate feeling the industry has been in attempting to duplicate their own version of the iPhone.   

What this is a result of is a complete misunderstanding of what exactly it is that makes the iPhone such a successful product.   If other companies had understood this they would have focused their resources in other places entirely or to build up more of their own ecosystem in order to compete.     

RIM thinking they could simply slap a touch screen on their new device, and completely abandon what it is that made their products great in the first place, is entertaining at best.   RIM's customers gravitated to their devices simply because they were hands down the best devices for those who desperately need to pound out e-mails wherever they happen to be night and day.   To go away from this strategy is ill advised and shows RIM is not quite sure where their value actually lies.    

The iPhone is not successful because it has a touch screen.   It is successful for a hosts of reason's but primarily because Apple knows and understands who their customer is for the iPhone and they are delivering in leaps and bounds for that customer. Apple for as much as they discuss corporate e-mail support, the iPhone is NOT the best device for doing e-mail.  It is a functional e-mail device but there are other devices out there that do a better job.  Namely many of RIM's other then the STORM.  Apple has many software strength's as well to leverage its iPhone hardware.  A superior mobile web browsing experience for instance, great software developer support etc. Apple does make fantastic hardware but the addition of killer software puts them in a very good spot.  One that RIM is not even close to, nor are many other handset makers.  All of this adds up to a competitive advantage that few companies can rival.  Include in that a happy smiling Mac genius who will take care of all your troubles with a smile while you go shopping and come back to hopefully have your troubles solved.   Who wants to waste any time at all inside the store of a carrier, the mall is a much better place to waste time. 

Comments

[Phil Baker]

Some very insightful comments that hit the nail on the head.

[Jim Hollinshead]

Great commentary. You articulate what every sensible person (with a pulse) already knows but doens't want to say;

RIM's Blackberry ran its course. Its technology was disruptive and innovative and its brand had sizzle, in the day. Cupertino has trumped Waterloo at just the right time.

Clearly, the mantle of change has been handed off to Apple and its iphone. The fun has just begun. The only press RIM gets nowadays is centered around whether President elect Obama will keep his blackberry or not. Yikes.

The sunsetting of the blackberry was inevitable and its successor has plenty of game. The consumerization of the enterprise now has a name: iPhone.

Thanks for a great article.