BlackBerry Lawas phones that were once popular were practically dead because BlackBerry had stopped support for its operating system.
What factors cause their fall? The following flashbacks as we collected from various sources:
1. underestimate the iPhone
In the golden age of 2008, the Blackberry named Research In Motion (RIM) was worth USD 84 billion. The products are popular with many people. Because of his life, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, BlackBerry CEO at the time, underestimated the arrival of Apple iPhone introduced by Steve Jobs in 2007.
Both of them judge an iPhone like a toy cellphone. The battery is weak, the iPhone touch keyboard is also used compared to the BlackBerry physical keyboard. "As good as any iPhone, it presents difficulties for users. Try typing on the iPhone touch screen, it's real difficulty," Balsillie said.
"This is not a threat to the core rim business. IPhone is not safe, the battery is fast run out and the digital keyboard is difficult," said Larry Conlee, Lazaridis's advisor.
The iPhone was indeed a lot of underestimated at the beginning of his birth. The battery only holds eight hours, the connection is only 2G. The product should have failed, but it didn't. "With all the factors that iPhone should fail, but in fact it is not so," said David Yach, Chief Technology Officer RIM.
It turned out that people still buy an iPhone, one of them because of a good design. "I learned that the beauty of the design means. People want to buy this product," added Yatch. The first three months of sales, the iPhone sold more than a million units.
2. Blackberry touch screen failure
Anticipating the threat of an unexpected independent iPhone, RIM decided to release the Blackberry Storm whose navigation touch screen. Initially this product sold because the blackberry name was still famous and supported by large marketing. But RIM technicians know that Storm is not a mature product.
The browser is slow, the touch screen is difficult to use and often hangs. Many consumers don't buy it. Finally the Storm is seen as a failed product. Many are damaged and must be replaced so that it causes losses not only for RIM but the operator markets it.
For the first time after the extraordinary success in almost all of his cellphones, RIM had a BlackBerry product failed. Many parties began to wonder if BlackBerry was able to compete with the iPhone. "Everyone is disappointed because of the failure of Storm. The spirit in the company becomes down," said Coo Rim, Don Morisson.
But Lazaridis insisted that Storm was not a failure. For him, Storm is the first trial of RIM using new technology. He took the positive side of the Storm like his camera was pretty good, the speaker was nice and the battery could be replaced.
Lazaridis assesses Storm must be better. So Storm 2 was released. But again unfortunately, the sale is not as expected. Blackberry began to confuse.
3. Failure to stem android
The first Android phone, HTC Dream, released in 2008, marked the birth of the green robot operating system to the world. At that time, not many consider it as a significant competitor in the world of world smartphones, including BlackBerry.
At that time, it was not a few who scoffed on Android. "It sounds like they only gather some people to make cellphones and we have done it for years. I don't understand what impact they will have," said Scott Horn, Microsoft executive at that time.
The BlackBerry leader also failed to see Google's vision and Apple that the cellphone was not only a mere communication tool, but would be the center of entertainment and supported by good applications. They still assess traditional BlackBerry superiority will not be shaken.
"The most interesting trend in the mobile world is a full QWERTY keyboard," Thus one of the blot of Lazaridis who assesses BlackBerry will remain superior to the iPhone and Android.
Reality said another. Blackberry market share continues to eroded and Android then became the most popular mobile operating system in the world.
4. Late to bring Blackberry 10
BlackBerry finally realizes it will not be able to survive if you continue to rely on cellphones with old OS. The iPhone and a row of Android phones are getting more fierce. Finally, they developed the BlackBerry 10 operating system for smartphones.
BlackBerry 10 based QNX is actually quite good. This OS is designed to work without the presence of a physical button, just shared.
Initially, BlackBerry 10 cellphone was planned to be released in 2011, but then postponed until 2012. Still postponed until finally the BlackBerry Z10 released early January 2013.
Although presenting a variety of new features, in fact BlackBerry 10 phones are less in demand on the market. BlackBerry Z10 reportedly accumulated in the warehouse.
Many parties assess, if only the BlackBerry 10 cellphone was released long ago, there was still potential for BlackBerry against Android and iPhone dominance.
5. The failure of BlackBerry leaders
After the era of Lazaridis and Balsilie who failed to stem competitors, BlackBerry was led by the CEO of Thorsten Heins. But in 2013, he was replaced by John Chen after being considered to have failed to succeed BlackBerry 10.
In his leadership period, there are several Heins statements that are considered ngaaco or not in accordance with reality. I don't know just calming consumers or indeed he really.
"There is nothing wrong with this company in its current situation," heins said in March 2012.
Heins sure, BlackBerry will develop rapidly in his leadership and there is nothing wrong with the company. "I feel positive that when Blackerry 10 we launched, we will return to being a very strong player," he was sure at that time.
So optimistic heins with the success of Blackberry 10 so he believes Blackberry will lead within five years. "In five years, I can see BlackBerry will be an absolute leader in mobile computing, that's our goal," heins said in May 2013.
"I want to get as many market share as possible, but not by being a parlor," he added.
"The challenges we face in the future are not about innovation, this question will always be dealt with during Jim and Mike (the founder of BlackBerry-Red) in the leadership council and help us with his advice," heins said at the end of 2012.
In other words, Heins assesses BlackBerry is enough to innovate. He did not consider product innovation as a priority because he had done it. In fact, one of the weak black BlackBerry points is assessed in the matter of innovation. For example, continuing to maintain old products even though they are far from their competitors. Heins finally resigned and was replaced by John Chen who then managed to bring the Blackberry to a better direction.
