BlackBerry aims to “extend” its position in SA
Research In Motion (RIM) SA is looking to “extend” its position as the country’s most popular smartphone, and is pegging its future ambitions on the BlackBerry 10.
RIM’s BlackBerry smartphones dominate the SA smartphone landscape for consumers and businesses alike.
Data compiled by World Wide Worx in August revealed that out of a total of approximately 10-million smartphones sold in South Africa, up to 4.8 million were BlackBerry devices. Meanwhile, RIM also states that 80% of the JSE Top 300 companies have the BlackBerry Enterprise Server installed.
RIM South Africa’s managing director, Alexandra Zagury, says the company is very pleased with its performance locally.
“RIM is growing from strength to strength in South Africa and our products are enjoying stellar sales in both the consumer and professional segments,” Zagury said.
In order to maintain its position in South Africa, the RIM SA head pointed to a number of strategies currently in place, particularly to address customer retention.
Zugary said that a big part of RIM’s strategy is to stay in touch with customers.
“So much of our marketing is all about going out there to speak to BlackBerry users, allowing them to experience our offering, and listening to their feedback,” she said.
Alexandra Zagury
Next-gen competition
Globally, RIM has lost massive market share to Apple and Android devices, and cannot avoid being held up against the tech giants in a market it once dominated.
Shares in RIM traded at $7.12 on the Nasdaq in lunchtime trade on Wednesday (US time), some way off its 52 week best of $24.74, but much closer to its worst figure of $6.33.
“Some users are still using a [BlackBerry] OS 5 device and comparing it to other high-end devices – we want our users to experience our latest solutions so that they are making informed comparisons,” said Zagaury.
The latest build of BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 7, brought with it a number of updates which Zugary said offers “everything one expects from today’s cutting-edge smartphones”.
Some of these features include near-field communications, augmented reality, a faster browser and more extensive app integration, amongst other features.
However, even on a latest-release level, RIM has been criticised, globally as well as locally, for lacking innovation with its current-generation offerings.
In July, CEO of digital solutions provider, Fontera Digital Works, Simon Leps noted that BlackBerry is slowly falling behind in South Africa as its competitors – namely Apple and Android – continue to innovate, offering consistently better products.
Leps also cited the example of RIM’s BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) being faced with competition from cross-platform offerings, such as WhatsApp, as well as the introduction of flat-rated data services in SA.
“Without funding or an investment strategy overhaul, Blackberry’s future is bleak,” Leps opined.
Render of purported BlackBerry 10 devices via @gustavitt
Waiting on BlackBerry 10
BlackBerry 10 – which is due in the first quarter of 2013 – may just be the overhaul Leps suggested.
The new operating system from RIM will “revitalise” the company’s hardware business, according to Zagury, and serve as a foundation to keep and extend the company’s position in South Africa.
BlackBerry 10 will be a major launch for RIM, globally, with the operating system promising to be more connected and more integrated than current BlackBerry systems.
The OS will feature a platform-wide flow interface, a new intelligent keyboard and a more advanced camera app.
The operating system will be used across an entirely new range of BlackBerry smartphones, as well as the company’s PlayBook tablet.
“BlackBerry 10 is an entirely new platform for BlackBerry – a new operating system powering new devices in a new ecosystem,” Zagury said.
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