New Book Explores How the iPhone Contributed to BlackBerry's Downfall

[sinsin07]

Of course it doesn't make sense to you when you do not work for a major worldwide carrier (Vodafone, EE, T-Mobile), you don't know none of the executives at it so yeah to you its all tin-foil instead of protecting the business and revenue. You know common sense stuff.

Downloadable content for purchase was a carriers game big time, Nokia found a way around it due to its ginormous customer base. They also were also very tough in negotiations with carriers and their demands, in other words they were pain in the ass to deal with so carriers were pushing sales people to push anything but Nokia when making a sale.

As far as the BlackBerry goes their relationship with Verizon deteriorated big time and with Verizon comes Vodafone. Its like dominos.

Anecdotal experience is proof of nothing.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

BlackBerry, has always been and originally a Networking and Security business:
NOC, Radio stack on routing corporate data to mobile devices, securely!
Provider GGSN connection to RIM's NOC, BES servers for MDM, and mobile devices starting with imbedded radio devices then the 850 debuted.
Their going back yet forward to that business model. More layoffs announced.

BES
Mobile Security
Secure Network (Data: Data in route to/from mobile) transmissions
IoT

And you are mixing the situation with the previous management with the turnaround being staged by the CEO who joined in November 2013.

----------

People don't know that BB security starts at the hardware level.

When you boot BB10, it takes a bit of time because the hardware checks that the system has not been tampered with. As far as public knowledge goes, nobody has been able to root a BB10 device (you can find some reports on the internet of people trying to do it and finding out how hard it would be to accomplish).

security is the exact same argument as our customers need keyboards

do you know what cell phone the CEO of Apple uses? What about the CEO of MS? Google? Vladamir Putin? Maybe the NSA needs these super secure hardware locks, maybe not, but plenty of VIPs clearly do not.

Thus security or not, RIMM would still suffer the same fate.

 

[ToroidalZeus]

I used to go to Waterloo for business all the time, and before the iPhone it was all too apparent that RIM was going to fail, and fail spectacularly.

The first problem is that Waterloo is a small sleepy university town, with no real prominent industry. The last big 'tech' company out of there was Watcom who hit it big with a SQL server of all things, and was later bought out and destroyed for that alone (they did make a great C/C++ compiler too).

So being a small town, they never attracted any talent from the outside. Every time you would deal with RIM people they all came from the same schools, went to the same classes, taught by the same professors. They dressed the same, and acted the same. And they all praised the 'wisdom' of their two co-ceos. It was crazy how this monoculture would react to new things always putting them in the worst light, talking them down etc.

Apple had their ROKR, and everyone had a laugh. Why would you want a phone and mp3 player? Our phone does email with the smallest bandwidth. Everyone also did their best to shun WindowsCE as who wants an operating system with apps? And that their phone could load email from exchange through their own network faster than the MS phone could from their own internet connected server.

But time, they changed.

When the iPhone was announced, the damage control was laughable as they not only had a company line it was a toy and of no significance since it was going to 'drink' bandwidth while they gleefully sipped. And then it shipped, and I had one, unlocked it, and took it with me to Canada (it was a US only thing at the time) and when people saw it they wanted it right away, and thought that even at 2G speeds it was the coolest thing ever. Except when I went to Waterloo. I even met with phone hardware designers, and I showed it to them, saying if they don't copy this thing, they are doomed. Instead they went on how they were being forced to make something out of their field that the company didn't want to do, and that they knew the mobil market better than the consumers, and everyone would come back to them.

Their arrogance, and defying what the consumer wanted killed RIM. They only had a market at first, because they were first to market. Microsoft could have been in Apple's position but let's face it, CE was ugly as hell, restricted to Internet Explorer 4, felt like a windows device, and sat stagnated. As much as I hate windows 8 on the desk, on the phone it's quite nice, but too little too late.

Apple focused on something consumers wanted, without knowing they wanted it.

The smart thing google did, was to grab Android, and adapt it to something that was a 'good enough' metoo phone, but licensed it for free. Now if RIM had gone the Android route, with their messaging apps, and their precious keyboard maybe they would have had a chance. Instead, they had to re-invent the wheel, because monoculture dictated that they had to have their own OS, because running Linux was 'bad' as it wasn't from Waterloo so they had to buy QNX (also Canadian) and spend years trying to retool it for users and bring it to market.

Heck, even the BB tablet (I forget the name, I even have one) was a joke that it didn't have properly working apps at launch, and they charged so much for it. I bought one when the price crashed, but it barely made a useful 32gb music player for $99 CDN.

TL;DR you hit the nail there, bad management, from a small town, where everyone thinks the same, and acts the same. Nobody liked their crappy servers, and once there was a chance to defect, everyone did.

Good read.

I disagree with the bold part. The iPhone launch started off with how Apple changed computing, changed music and was going to reinvent the phone. Steve Jobs has taste and it's obvious he knew what people wanted.

 

[flaw600]

Paid iPhone sent to him by another office representative. In no way has he let go of his BlackBerry do some reading/research vs just the image. I figured Apple users would at least do more research this is days old.

What's also old news is that Obama was shackled to the BlackBerry. He wanted an iPhone but Secret Service determined that the BB was the only device secure enough for the President.

 

[slu]

I've yet to see a Blackberry in the wild in 2015.

Actually, I saw 1 but I had to contain myself from laughing.

I use one everyday for work. Blackberry Bold, on Verizon (with the ancient OS). It is a decent messaging device. It is a horrible media consumption device.

 

[2IS]

This was the last blackberry phone I saw:

 

[APlotdevice]

This was the last blackberry phone I saw:

Image

Is that a bullet hole?

 

[iLog.Genius]

I don't precisley get your point.

You say that the iPhone became a better mail device quite early, later you say that it wasn't until iOS was very mature the iPhone was considered an effective e-mail device. That seems contradictory.

In my opinion, the Mail app was superior right from the start and it became useable for business when Exchange support was added.

Either way, it wasn't form that defeated BlackBerry, it was also very much functionality.

My fault. Wording was all wrong. What meant to say was just because the iPhone gained Exchange Support in iPhone OS 2 or whatever, doesn't mean it was a good e-mail phone that early in it's life. It was only until iOS 4 where Apple started to look at refining everything that had to do with messaging and only then was it finally considered for something for e-mails/messaging.

 

[Seanthesheep]

Arrogance. It's that simple.

It killed Nokia, and it killed BlackBerry. It nearly killed Microsoft (Before they managed to recover under S. Nadella).

And it'll be what kills Google as well.

I agree with this comment a lot, however I think Google are in safe hands as I think they are pretty adaptable to a fast changing market.

Google maps comes to mind when Apple decided to launch their own Maps (albeit an awful version at the time) in revolt to Google denying key features such as voice navigation on the Iphone. Soon afterwards Google lifted those restrictions.

 

[2IS]

Is that a bullet hole?

It is. Just a little .22 which the phone surprisingly stopped.

 

[bobdobalina]

edit

 

[wigby]

I don't think anything can kill Google at this point. They have the media and the IT people in their pockets.

Fortunes turn on a dime in the tech industry. Even Apple can be "killed".

 

[xpandedreality]

Good point, 17guy, but...

I like BB. They were really workhorses and I had my Storm 2 for almost 4 years. So I like BB, I wish they had the apps.

However, this:

"Apple on the other hand has it´s best player gone, ongoing security problems, and a phone that is becoming more like a portable entertainment machine than a device for work"

I don't agree with. The iphone 6 sales, shows apple can succeed with Tim Cook. In addition, I am not sure what security problems the iphone has and why the device is not suitable for a work device. It took me a long time to warm up to the iphone, and there are things that annoy me about the interface (although that is true for all software products) but is it a work-horse as was my old BB. I just miss the replaceable battery.

As long as you are okay with apples walled garden, you will like the iphone.

Good point 17guy. I prefer to meassure sucess not only in sales, but also in how the society developes because of new technology. And the iPhone has made room for a lot of time waste apps, and the Blackberry put emphasis on creation and work.

And as I said, I trust Blackberrys security. Not knowing very much about it. But the trust is there. I do not trust Apples security after a lot of articles and information like this:
Apple still encourage users to use the very unsecure iCloud

Apple with the NSA in the PRISM program

And about the walled garden, it is your data they keep to themselves (music, magazines, movies...), and at the same time have a problem keeping your privacy yours...

 

[Soccertess]

Arrogance. It's that simple.

It killed Nokia, and it killed BlackBerry. It nearly killed Microsoft (Before they managed to recover under S. Nadella).

And it'll be what kills Google as well.

Nadella is doing a superb job. Kiddos to him.

I hope it doesn't kill Google or Apple for that matter... I really think Android has been beneficial to Apple and kept has them on their toes..

 

[djgamble]

IMO android killed Blackberry. The people who were hanging onto their Blackberry because they hate Apple and didn't think that the lack of a physical keyboard (or Outlook) was acceptable.

They then went and bought cheap copies of the iPhone instead of Blackberries. Over time, screen sizes increased, they stuffed faster CPU's into the things and Google added a few gimmicks that could be used as selling points. Android cannibalised the 'not Apple' market, knocking out Blackberry.

 

[thekeyring]

I agree with all but that part about Android changed because of the iPhone.
I think it's more the other way around. Android has always been more feature rich than IOS, and IOS has always been slow to catch up to or match Android with a few notable exceptions.

IOS only really became on par with feature set around IOS7. The driving factor was more due to the jail break community jailbreaking their iPhones for glaringly absent features in iPhones.

This is not to say IOS wasn't at times ahead on a feature or 2, but on a scale the features of Android always had more weight.

Now, Apple's implementation of missing features (despite years behind at times) was usually more elegant than Android, but behind nonetheless.

Today, both platforms are pretty well matched, but this is only truly in the past gen or two of OS releases.

*Apple has obviously been wildly successful despite being slow to add features, but they have always been innovative and that innovation usually made up for something missing. RIM screwed up in both the feature and hardware front, the innovation front, and usability front. MS at least has made strides, but I really think they are just way to late to the party. If Win10 doesn't catch on with their next round of phones, I doubt they will ever be relevant.

Complete bull crap.

 

[Snarl]

Arrogance. It's that simple.

Definitely a major factor In my honest opinion

 

[I7guy]

Good point 17guy. I prefer to meassure sucess not only in sales, but also in how the society developes because of new technology. And the iPhone has made room for a lot of time waste apps, and the Blackberry put emphasis on creation and work.

And as I said, I trust Blackberrys security. Not knowing very much about it. But the trust is there. I do not trust Apples security after a lot of articles and information like this:
Apple still encourage users to use the very unsecure iCloud

Apple with the NSA in the PRISM program

And about the walled garden, it is your data they keep to themselves (music, magazines, movies...), and at the same time have a problem keeping your privacy yours...

Those articles are old and out of date and certainly no different than blackberry opening up it's servers when they agreed to a Saudi Arabia datacenter.

Apple closed off all back-doors as of 8.3. As far as icloud security, apple improved it and now it has 2FA, but like anything else strong passwords should have been used from the beginning. So for me, this is not a worry.

 

[robjulo]

And Apple's arrogance trumps every company you just listed, yet you leave them off. Priceless.

Arrogance. It's that simple.

It killed Nokia, and it killed BlackBerry. It nearly killed Microsoft (Before they managed to recover under S. Nadella).

And it'll be what kills Google as well.

 

[sinsin07]

IMO android killed Blackberry.

In the larger scheme of things, opinions won't matter.

History will write that the iPhone killed off Blackberry and Palm.

The iPhone is the yardstick that all other mobile phones are measured against.

You see this in commercials, tech blogs, and Samsung to some degree.

Whether the iPhone is deserving of the yardstick is a matter of opinion, and each fanboy will defend his or her position.

Nevertheless, the iPhone is the yardstick and everyone in the mobile game wish they could emulate the success of Apple.

 

[Pilgrim1099]

In the larger scheme of things, opinions won't matter.

Nevertheless, the iPhone is the yardstick and everyone in the mobile game wish they could emulate the success of Apple.

It's no longer THE yardstick in iPhone's case. It's been surpassed by other devices. This is not 2007-2008. It's 2015 and the industry has caught up to it.

Apple will NOT be able to stay ahead forever. The problem with you guys is that you think profits are a permanent thing for Apple to " win ".

This is not a football game but the business world where anything can happen and profits fluctuate. And Apple has a LOT to lose if they screw things up and mistakes can happen. I don't care about numbers since they are BS metrics, in the same case as with visitor numbers on websites in the old days.

It's the people inside the companies that matter in how they think and behave which can affect the future of their corporate entity.

Apple has become " Rome " with too many egos brewing inside despite the fact Cook plays it down.

A profit is NOT a score.

 

[Soccertess]

Complete bull crap.

which part do you not agree with him.. I agree with most of what he said... others are coming up with cool and useful features, everyone benefits from this...

 

[xpandedreality]

Apple has shown us where they stand regarding NSA

Those articles are old and out of date and certainly no different than blackberry opening up it's servers when they agreed to a Saudi Arabia datacenter.

Apple closed off all back-doors as of 8.3. As far as icloud security, apple improved it and now it has 2FA, but like anything else strong passwords should have been used from the beginning. So for me, this is not a worry.

Those old articles shows us that Apple agreed to join the PRISM program. And it´s not that strange that they are trying to deny it after it blew open.

Two step verification and other security features are nothing if Apples attitude is that it is ok to break users integrity.

I have also minimized my use of Googles services for the same reason I´m now minimizing my use of Apple products. They may be good at making great products, but if they sell users out, I have to show my concern in some way. I think more people should do that.

 

[oddnendz]

Well, I wanted to read the excerpt, but WSJ is telling me I have to subscribe.

copy and paste the headline into Google/Bing .... then click the WSJ link....

 

[sinsin07]

It's no longer THE yardstick in iPhone's case. It's been surpassed by other devices. This is not 2007-2008. It's 2015 and the industry has caught up to it.

The perception is there, whether you want to recognize it or not.

Apple will NOT be able to stay ahead forever.

Yes. This has been said for the last couple of years. Eventually it will be true.

The problem with you guys is that you think profits are a permanent thing for Apple to " win ".

This sentence makes no sense. It appears you're rambling.

This is not a football game but the business world where anything can happen and profits fluctuate.

Based on the above you don't understand football or the business world.

And Apple has a LOT to lose if they screw things up and mistakes can happen.

Ridiculous statement.
All companies have a lot to loose if the they screw things up, not just Apple.

I don't care about numbers

When you feelings matter to the business world, this will have some relevance.

I..since they are BS metrics, in the same case as with visitor numbers on websites in the old days.

There is certainly BS here, but not with the metrics, it started and ended with post number 171.

It's the people inside the companies that matter in how they think and behave which can affect the future of their corporate entity.

No S@3t, really?

Apple has become " Rome " with too many egos brewing inside despite the fact Cook plays it down.

You'll find these same egos in every large company. Nothing special here.

A profit is NOT a score.

Only in your world.