This is a guest post by Joe Pawlikowski, editor of BBGeeks.com
It hasn't been an easy 18 months for the
BlackBerry brand. In that time they nixed some releases and rushed others,
leading to an uninspiring 2010 line of devices. Even the highly marketed
BlackBerry Torch didn't fare terribly well. It's not a stretch to think that
Research In Motion is headed down the path of a former competitor, Palm. Yet
it's not all doom and gloom for the Waterloo crew.
In 2011 RIM has already started to
rebuild its reputation. While their recent launch of BlackBerry 7 smartphones
went down with little fanfare, they are still solid devices that represent the
true potential of the current BlackBerry line. That is, these are probably the
best devices RIM can possibly create on its existing platform. Thankfully for
them, they have a new line of smartphones that could be ready for early 2012.
Based on the QNX operating system that
runs the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, the new line of BlackBerry smartphones has
the potential to change the conversation about the much-maligned brand. Here
are four reasons that the QNX operating system will put RIM back on the map.
1. Best of BlackBerry Still Included
One of the biggest issues with the
BlackBerry PlayBook was not the tablet itself. In fact, most early reviews
praised the hardware and the operating system. The largest complaint centered
on the lack of native functions. BlackBerry is known for its messaging
platform, and those apps -- messages, calendar, and contacts -- were
conspicuously absent from the PlayBook at first. That's not a permanent
absence, though, and by October the PlayBook will have all of these features
and more. That means the first run of QNX smartphones will have all of those
native functions ready to go out of the box.
Essentially RIM is laying its best
features over a more modern and powerful operating system. That has basically
been the dream since that fateful day in 2007 when the iPhone came out. RIM has
been on a downslide since then, and while they'll never catch Apple in terms of
consumer smartphone sales they can still play a role in the smartphone
industry. Their messaging system combined with a modern OS could make them a
viable alternative for people whose primary use for a smartphone still centers
on email.
Also included: the BlackBerry keyboard.
It's not a guarantee, but chances are slim that RIM would just ditch the
keyboard that helped make it famous. If we're to learn from past RIM
strategies, we can assume that they'll release multiple smartphones running
QNX, and at least one of them will have a physical keyboard. That's a must for
some people, and a big reason why some users have been reluctant to switch from
BlackBerry to iPhone and Android.
2. High-End Hardware
Until a month ago, high-end hardware and
RIM were antithetical. For years RIM delivered underpowered devices. According
to their executives, this was a deliberate move that put the focus on battery
life. RIM thought that their customers didn't care about processor speed, but
they knew that a short battery life span was not acceptable. It took them until
2011 to realize that both can come in the same package.
The BlackBerry 7 line of smartphones
contains numerous hardware upgrades. The processors come in at 1.2GHz, and the
screens have all been upgraded -- the flagship Bold model has a screen
resolution of 640x480 pixels, which is by far the highest resolution BlackBerry
to date. It also contains more RAM than previous models, which helps it run
even faster. These devices really are beacons of speed, even if the software is
a bit underwhelming.
With the QNX smartphones they'll use
high-end hardware, making for RIM's best smartphone yet. For instance, co-CEO Mike
Lazaridis said that the QNX smartphones would require dual-core processors
(saying it was one reason that RIM has not yet released such a device). That
could mean for even faster speeds, which is necessary today for a high-end
smartphone.
3. The Need for Competition
Apple puts out the standard bearer of the
smartphone industry. It's iconic, and it works. As a single platform on a
single handset, it likely won't be topped. Android is the attractive
alternative. It's available in many makes and models, but the experience is
similar across them. The more tech-savvy crowd might prefer Android due to customization
options, which run from the OS down through the handsets themselves.
Is that all we're going to see from the
smartphone market in the future, though? It would be a shame if these two
platforms were the only real options for people seeking smartphones. In fact,
there's still one area that neither of these platforms covers particularly
well: email and enterprise. Android and iPhone aren't bad at these, per se, but
there is plenty of room for improvement. This is where the BlackBerry can find its
place.
The market might need a third
alternative, and if that's the case then RIM could use its current position to
its advantage. That is, while Windows Phone is starting to make inroads with
carriers, they still don't have the reach or the recognition of RIM. in fact,
the old Windows Mobile platform is worse in every way than the BlackBerry
platform, and so Microsoft has a lot longer way to go in terms of reputation
recovery. RIM could position itself as a solid No. 3 as early as 2012.
4. The QNX Experience
The QNX operating system, as represented
on the BlackBerry PlayBook, is a highly enjoyable one. While a smartphone would
benefit from a physical button or two, the PlayBook works just fine without
one. It's all based on swipes gestures, both on- and off-screen. That makes
navigation rather intuitive.
Really, the entire reason for writing
this post is the QNX platform. It's a true forward-thinking operating system
that can continue to grow, much in the same way that Android and iOS have grown
in their years on the market. It performs essential smartphone tasks, such as
multitasking, with ease.
This leads to the absolute, No. 1 reason
that QNX will put RIM back on the map: it simply has to. If not, RIM is done as
a smartphone manufacturer. Their business is on the line, and it appears that
they have a product worth of brand saving. It will take more than a great
device, as most smartphone manufacturers have learned. But RIM is well
positioned right now, and should take advantage. Their QNX smartphones will put
them right back in the smartphone game. It's only a shame that they got bumped
from it in the first place.
About the Author
Joe Pawlikowski is the editor of BBGeeks, a site that helps BlackBerry users get the
most out of their devices.
