New Apps Underscore Blackberry’s Problems
Waterloo, Ontario based Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM), maker of the BlackBerry line of smartphones has had its share of problems lately. Most of which have been coming from Apple’s iPhone and Google Android OS powered devices. (Rest in peace Windows Mobile?) The announcement of BBH Solutions’ new app underscores RIM’s problems. The ‘app’ itself is not necessarily an app though. It is a full IT solution that allows business users to call and receive calls through their office number, using their BlackBerrys. Called BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS), and allowing users access to their office phone voice mailbox and present a single number on their business cards, the new solution promises a lot. The only problem? I have been doing this for months with Google Voice. Now that is RIM’s problem.
RIM started way back in the late 1980s working on two-way paging systems. Then they graduated to email—practically took over mobile email if I might add—and then created the smartphone as we know it. The only problem was that Apple “invented” the touch-screen smartphone and then Google “invented” the concept of being a smartphone OS company. RIM has been left holding the bag as the owner of one of the strongest smartphone brand names, but with clunky, un-cool phones (thanks to Apple), and with 3rd party enterprise solutions to problems that free online services offer (thanks to Google).
While I am sure that BlackBerry MVS offers stronger corporate features and security than Google Voice, RIM has missed the mark here and BBH Solution’s new app holds the target up for all of us to see. RIM has been stuck in the uncomfortable position of being seen as both a hardware and software provider. Their BlackBerry line of phones, while highly functional, is not sexy and are instead seen as a little outdated. Their OS and app support, while also functional, is clunky and offers poor web surfing. Apple differentiated by rebranding itself as a company that produces the killer touch-screen iPhone and Google differentiated by creating a division that makes remarkable operating system software and solutions for both consumer and corporate problems regardless of the smartphone platform.
The BlackBerry became such a strong brand during the 2000s because young people wanted smartphones and RIM made the only smartphone worth having. Unfortunately, it was oriented to business users. Now we have choices, and the BlackBerry finally has true competition. The young business people who have graduated college in the past few years know all about the iPhone and the BlackBerry’s other competitors and have begun to whisper their preference into their IT department’s ears. Unless RIM figures out where it wants to fit into the market, it will continue to flounder. Because now you can get your Gmail on a $50 prepay phone.
Tags: BlackBerry, Blackberry Mobile Voice System, google voice, BBH Solutions, BlackBerry MVS
John,
Thanks for making that clarification for the author – how the author of that article could attribute MVS to someone else when it’s clearly RIM’s product (they purchased the technology back in 2006) is amazing. Don’t people even validate facts anymore?
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I’ve worked in wireless sales for three years now, and there is one phenomena that I have seen. If someone actually uses the BIS-specific features, they will never leave to Apple or Google. Anyone can ship a phone with a 1 GHZ chip. Anyone can ship a phone with a high-res camera. But, the people who (for lack of better words) “mean business” with their personal communications stay with BlackBerry because of the BlackBerry services. As long as BlackBerry Messenger stays superior to text messaging, as long as the battery life is superior (from having push versus pull services), as long as the hardware reliability is there, the only people buying iPhone 4s will be people who started with an iPhone 3G, and the only people buying Droids will be people who started with a T-Mobile G1.
Signed,
Proud owner of a 8100, 8110, 8320, 8900, 9530, and 9700…
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Hello, this is John Allegro, Director of Marketing for BBH Solutions, Inc. I would like to clear up a statement in your post that is factually incorrect. BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (MVS) is not our “new app”. The solution belongs to BlackBery. BBH Solutions is a BlackBerry Alliance Member and integration partner. We provide design and implementation services for BlackBerry MVS into the IP PBX environment. We do not develop software applications for BlackBerry on either the server or smartphone level.
You are correct that MVS is “not necessarily an app”, and I believe that to view it as such would be to sell it short. BlackBerry MVS 5.0 is an enterprise-level solution that allows users to securely leverage IP PBX features on their BlackBerry smartphones. An MVS 5.0 project requires discovery and implementation processes that must be conducted by a team that has expertise in both the solution itself and the IP PBX that it works with.
While consumer-friendly products such as Google Voice and Skype probably work just fine for individuals, I think it’s unfair to compare them to BlackBerry MVS. I don’t think you’ll find organizations that are required to adhere to the myriad of compliance laws (such as HIPAA and SOX) making the move to Google Voice for a way to mobilize desk phone functionality.
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