RIM Will License Out BB10 To Anyone, Says CEO

[exfileme]

RIM is looking to license out BlackBerry 10 after all.

RIM Will License Out BB10 To Anyone, Says CEO : Read more

 

[blingooron]

cool story katie holmes

 

[schnitter]

If that doesn't yell "Desperate" then I don't know what does.

 

[killabanks]

yeah hard times call for "Desperate" moves

 

[twelch82]

For this to be successful, they would need to not only say they'll license BB10, but are making a commitment to licensing out any future versions of the OS as well.

Nobody's going to want to go through the effort of making devices with the BB OS if the worst-case scenario is no demand, and the best-case scenario is RIM getting back on its feet and terminating/not renewing the licenses.

 

[phatboe]

I wouldn't really say it's "desperate", I would say it's smart. RIM is nowhere near the size or MS, Apple or Google and as of right now that have very little market share. So it makes sense to license out the OS in an effort to collect income that RIM can re-invest into the QNX/BB10 platform so that it can catch up with the other, well established market leaders.

 

[killerclick]

Apple bounced back from nothing to become what they are today. Maybe RIM can do the same thing with Blackberry, after all they are not in debt, and they're sitting on $7 billion and now have less than 10k employees. They could literally do anything.

 

[derekullo]

Beggars can't be choosers

 

[Guest]

Thanks but we don't want that crap, says Anyone.

 

[cookoy]

Wonder how RIM, Nokia and Microsoft would fare out in the coming year.

 

[schnitter]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]Apple bounced back from nothing to become what they are today. Maybe RIM can do the same thing with Blackberry, after all they are not in debt, and they're sitting on $7 billion and now have less than 10k employees. They could literally do anything.[/citation]

Well they've brought "new blood" to try and save themselves, but they have had deserters more than recruits because no one has faith in them anymore... and rightly so. Instead of licensing BB10, they should sell BBMessenger.

 

[killerclick]

[citation][nom]schnitter[/nom]Well they've brought "new blood" to try and save themselves, but they have had deserters more than recruits because no one has faith in them anymore... and rightly so. Instead of licensing BB10, they should sell BBMessenger.[/citation]

Why would they sell anything? They don't need the money, they have tons of it. What they need is a compelling new product.

 

[southernshark]

They should license it to Kodak.

 

[schnitter]

[citation][nom]killerclick[/nom]Why would they sell anything? They don't need the money, they have tons of it. What they need is a compelling new product.[/citation]

Easy, because selling BBM would make more people use BBM so it wouldn't be a dying messenger service as it is now. With BBM as popular as WhatsApp, then BlackBerry phones could have a shot at keeping to exist. Sure they still have money, but they are losing more of it every quarter. They are NOT profitable any longer.

 

[boiler1990]

[citation][nom]schnitter[/nom]Easy, because selling BBM would make more people use BBM so it wouldn't be a dying messenger service as it is now. With BBM as popular as WhatsApp, then BlackBerry phones could have a shot at keeping to exist. Sure they still have money, but they are losing more of it every quarter. They are NOT profitable any longer.[/citation]

BBM is not the only reason BBs still exist. Actually, it's not even close. If you haven't worked in a corporate environment that requires advanced Exchange features and some of the industry's best security and networking combined in one device, then you don't understand. Blackberry, of all the companies, still has government and corporate contracts, and I don't think they did that just for BBM.

 

[Kozak]

Why do all the detractors of RIM believe that the smartphone market will be better with fewer options and less competition?

As an example, for years the PC market was dominated by Microsoft's Windows OS platform. Consumers were forced to accept a lacklustre product with poor stability, but had no viable alternative to switch to (not that there were not options, just none that were viable for the majority of users). Windows users complained and Microsoft placated everyone with occasional fixes, but until a viable alternative appeared the status quo was maintained.

In the smartphone market now, there are the Apple fanatics (iSheep) that believe every product released is manna from heaven, and the Android supporters (fAndroids) that are content to accept a fragmented OS stream with a lengthy update time line on various hardware platforms. These two groups, along with possible WP8 supporters, believe with vehemence, that RIM should be driven from the market and the option removed from consumers. Fewer options and less competition does not lead to improved products and innovation, it leads to stagnation.

Both IBM and Apple were early innovators in their markets, both stagnated and were marginalized, and both were revitalized to become market leaders. RIM is attempting to revitalize itself and should be given that opportunity, before all the detractors rush in to sign the death certificate. Should RIM succeed, the market and consumers will benefit. Should RIM fail, then so be it.

 

[belardo]

I'm willing to pay $150 for licence to BB10.

 

[blusls]

Go here to get the real info on what he meant and said. Oye!!!! Why can't anyone be honest in Journalism????? Geezzz!!!!! http://crackberry.com/bloomberg%E2%80%99s-interview-thorsten-heins-shows-blackberry%E2%80%99s-game-plan-hasn%E2%80%99t-changed

 

[A Bad Day]

[citation][nom]southernshark[/nom]They should license it to Kodak.[/citation]

Kodak had filed for bankruptcy last year and is under a restructuring program. I doubt it has the cash to do anything.

 

[twelch82]

[citation][nom]Kozak[/nom]Why do all the detractors of RIM believe that the smartphone market will be better with fewer options and less competition?As an example, for years the PC market was dominated by Microsoft's Windows OS platform. Consumers were forced to accept a lacklustre product with poor stability, but had no viable alternative to switch to (not that there were not options, just none that were viable for the majority of users). Windows users complained and Microsoft placated everyone with occasional fixes, but until a viable alternative appeared the status quo was maintained.In the smartphone market now, there are the Apple fanatics (iSheep) that believe every product released is manna from heaven, and the Android supporters (fAndroids) that are content to accept a fragmented OS stream with a lengthy update time line on various hardware platforms. These two groups, along with possible WP8 supporters, believe with vehemence, that RIM should be driven from the market and the option removed from consumers. Fewer options and less competition does not lead to improved products and innovation, it leads to stagnation.Both IBM and Apple were early innovators in their markets, both stagnated and were marginalized, and both were revitalized to become market leaders. RIM is attempting to revitalize itself and should be given that opportunity, before all the detractors rush in to sign the death certificate. Should RIM succeed, the market and consumers will benefit. Should RIM fail, then so be it.[/citation]

Fragmentation is more palatable now than in the past, because most of the software is supported on all of the fragments, and the appstore concept makes it easy to gate off apps that aren't supported on a given device, so it's not left up to the purchaser of the app to figure out whether or not it's going to run before they buy it.

Android is the long-term smartphone platform. Not necessarily because it's better, but because it hasn't ever been locked to one hardware manufacturer, and how has the momentum it needs behind it. It's gone through growing pains with rapid releases over the past few years, but I would expect that to slow down in 2-3 years.

When the default UI has matured enough, I also expect to see fewer handset makers forcing their own UI flavors on top as well. If you are old enough, you might remember custom manufacturer app launchers that were built on top of Windows in the early '90s (ex. Packard Bell Explorer).

Again though, it doesn't really matter to me how many variants of the OS are out there, provided the apps still work. Better off with ten different skins of one OS, than ten completely different OSes that dont' run each others' apps.

 

[Kozak]

[citation][nom]twelch82[/nom]Fragmentation is more palatable now than in the past, because most of the software is supported on all of the fragments, and the appstore concept makes it easy to gate off apps that aren't supported on a given device, so it's not left up to the purchaser of the app to figure out whether or not it's going to run before they buy it.Android is the long-term smartphone platform. Not necessarily because it's better, but because it hasn't ever been locked to one hardware manufacturer, and how has the momentum it needs behind it. It's gone through growing pains with rapid releases over the past few years, but I would expect that to slow down in 2-3 years. When the default UI has matured enough, I also expect to see fewer handset makers forcing their own UI flavors on top as well. If you are old enough, you might remember custom manufacturer app launchers that were built on top of Windows in the early '90s (ex. Packard Bell Explorer).Again though, it doesn't really matter to me how many variants of the OS are out there, provided the apps still work. Better off with ten different skins of one OS, than ten completely different OSes that dont' run each others' apps.[/citation]

RIM has coded Android app functionality into the Playbook OS, and yet this was derided by the RIM detractors. There is nothing preventing that functionality from being added to BlackBerry OS 10, adding another fragment to the Android landscape.

Stating your personal preference does not equate to future state. The F-150 has been the best selling truck in North America for 40+ years, and yet GM/Chevrolet, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, and Honda are all still producing and selling trucks. RIM wants to license OS 10 to other manufacturers, as Google did with Android. Google, through its purchase of Motorola, has also matched RIM and Apple in now being able to manufacture their own hardware directly.

Why do Android users and supporters accept an "immature" UI, relying on the hardware manufacturers to provide the necessary usability and functionality (an issue since the release of Android), but immediately dismiss, or attack, all efforts on the part of RIM to prepare OS 10 for release? Packard Bell and Acer were renowned for their bloatware experiences in the early days of Windows.

Android has achieved market dominance by the sheer volume of handsets available, running the multitude of OS versions. Apple has carved out its market share by the slavishness of its devotees. RIM, the originator of the smartphone market, is in the process of revitalizing itself, but all of you detractors see that as a threat that must be quashed at all costs, and it makes no sense.

I am a supporter, and user, of RIM products. I like, and prefer, the form factor, functionality, and the usable finished product. I consider the iPhone to be a toy and have no interest in acquiring, or using, one. I consider Android, both the OS and the associated hardware, to be an ongoing beta test that I am not interested in joining. Should the BlackBerry platform cease to exist, I will be forced to switch to Android, but until then I want to see them continue, release new products, and succeed.

 

[wemakeourfuture]

[citation][nom]otacon72[/nom]So by your logic what Google did was desperate too?[/citation]

The reason why Google offered Android for free and why RIM is trying to offer BB-10 are incredibly different reasons with incredibly different business models. This should be obvious. RIM has shed 90% of its market value in 2 years, losing money left-right-and-center and are just trying to be relevant. Google had none of these issues.

RIM should have years ago licensed their e-mail service and BBM, but they had blinders on thinking they could compete with other manufacturers with inferior products at high prices. Customers and investors have punished them for this. This company has no chance of a turn-around doom and gloom was evident 3 years ago when I told colleagues to short the stock.

Another Canadian tech company going the way of Nortel and Corel.

 

[Bloob]

[citation][nom]Kozak[/nom]RIM, the originator of the smartphone market[/citation]
hmm?

I do agree with you on wanting more platforms in the smartphone market, but I have trouble seeing why anyone would want to licence BB10. What does it bring to the table that can't be done by Android or WP8? Why take the chance? I admit to not knowing much about BB10, but from what little I do know, I do not see a great benefit.

 

[ashinms]

[citation][nom]santeana[/nom]No one here is trying to detract anything. But seriously, have you even used Android lately? I have tried so many different mobile OS's and I always wind up back with Android again. It's the most customizable, user friendly phone I've ever used. I don't understand all the talk of "fragmentation" people keep referring to. I've been a user since FroYo and have had no issues at all. If M$ would license Office to it, then to me it would be the perfect mobile OS! Oh and as for you comment about Android being a "beta test", did you ask M$ before you borrowed that line from the Windows Phone commercials?[/citation]

I have used so many smartphone OSes lately, too, and I keep coming back to blackberry 7. I's all subjective.

 

[eddieroolz]

I like some of the sensible debate that's going back and forth in this comment section for once.

I've come to accept the reality that there will always be people from iOS and Android camp that will mock RIM. I know there'll always be people that want to eliminate RIM from the market.

All I can say is, BlackBerry 10 will be just as good as any other platform, if not better. Everyone will see in 2013. Until then, reserve your judgement.