Reuters: RIM Considering To Adopt WP8 For Blackberry Devices

[George P Global Moderator]

After the rumors of Microsoft buying RIM just settled down, now there is a new report that RIM may tie-up with Microsoft for upcoming smartphone devices. According to sources of Reuters, RIM may abandon its own BB10 OS and adopt Microsoft?s upcoming Windows Phone 8 for its Blackberry devices. They also reported that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer had approached RIM in recent months, discussing a partnership similar to the one the Microsoft has with Nokia. If it happens, Microsoft will be able to fund marketing expenses and ensure financial position for RIM.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/06/29/us-rim-options-idUSBRE85S04J20120629

[Prince Charming]

Bwahahah.

I don't think RIM will have the balls to make the extremely difficult decision that Nokia made. It's not easy to turn around and say 'our software is crap'. It hasn't yet pulled Nokia out of the fire. And for a company founded by engineers, I don't think they'll be able to do it at RIM. Would be very interesting though.

[nekkidtruth]

Lol. What an insanely huge mistake that would be. Just my opinion of course. If anything, Android would be a much better fit for Blackberry. Ultimately though, they need to stick to BB10 and quit ****ing around. If they spent half as much time actually working to save themselves as they did getting rid of people and shifting blame, they might actually have gotten themselves out of this mess.

[Prince Charming]

Lol. What an insanely huge mistake that would be. Just my opinion of course. If anything, Android would be a much better fit for Blackberry. Ultimately though, they need to stick to BB10 and quit ****ing around. If they spent half as much time actually working to save themselves as they did getting rid of people and shifting blame, they might actually have gotten themselves out of this mess.

The problem with Android is its success. It's on so many devices of so many form factors that it would be extremely difficult for RIM to differentiate. A WP8 powered BlackBerry with BBM would absolutely murder the enterprise market, and do a cracking job in the consumer space.

[George P Global Moderator]

The problem with Android is its success. It's on so many devices of so many form factors that it would be extremely difficult for RIM to differentiate. A WP8 powered BlackBerry with BBM would absolutely murder the enterprise market, and do a cracking job in the consumer space.

That's right, take WP8 and it's new enterprise abilities, bolt on native and exclusive BBM support and RIM should have a winner on it's hands. Delaying BB10 isn't helping, it should have been out by now and time is ticking away. They could still do both though, nothing wrong with testing out a WP8 device to see how it goes. You don't have to go all in like Nokia. Besides, on the Android side everyone not named Samsung is getting their butt kicked. HTC isn't looking so hot, I expect a 3rd straight quarter of profit losses over there.

[nekkidtruth]

You guys raise some very valid points. The problem is, RIM is distinct from WP, Android and Apple right now. With a good team, customization of Android would be better suited. They would have the ability to modify Android OS to the point that it's still distinct from the rest of the market, all the while backing itself with an enormous market of apps.

That being said, looking at it from your perspectives it does have a certain appeal.

[rfirth]

They would have the ability to modify Android OS to the point that it's still distinct from the rest of the market, all the while backing itself with an enormous market of apps.

Yes, but how long would that take? They don't have time to play around like that. I'd still suggest a dual Android+Windows Phone approach, with a heavy emphasis on Windows Phone. Windows 8 + Windows Phone 8 + Blackberry's enterprise ties (BBM)... killer ecosystem.

[George P Global Moderator]

You guys raise some very valid points. The problem is, RIM is distinct from WP, Android and Apple right now. With a good team, customization of Android would be better suited. They would have the ability to modify Android OS to the point that it's still distinct from the rest of the market, all the while backing itself with an enormous market of apps.

That being said, looking at it from your perspectives it does have a certain appeal.

Sure, that's fine, but when people think blackberry they think the hardware and not so much the OS I think. Right now RIMs options seem to be, drop BB10 and use something else, the reason this article brings up MS is because a MS partnership like the one Nokia has gives RIM a lifeline and some cash in the process. Going with Android is still RIM on it's own and say they do take it and just skin it and make it look like BBOS, that's not a guarantee that it'll work.

The other option for RIM is to split the company in two, the hardware side and the software/services side. IF they do split it, then the hardware side could use any OS they want really, while the software side can use it's patents and BBM service to make money. Like licensing BBM out to other phone makers etc. Sorta what MS does with EAS/ActiveSync which even Google is licensing right now.

Either way, any of the two they pick, RIM is going to be a fraction of what it was at it's height, and there's nothing they can really do about it.

[Xerxes]

WP8 is the only choice. Going with Android in my humble opinion (I'm a massive Android fan too) would be a huge mistake. We don't need another flavour of Android to deal with, it's fragmented enough as it is thank you very much. Not to mention they'd need to skin it and add their own features/tweaks (obviously they don't have too, but they'll want to if they don't want to be "just another Android device") and then there is the whole updating business, which to be honest is a fiasco at the best of times in Androidland. PLUS they need to compete in an already saturated market of zillions* of other Android OEMs.

Going the same path as Nokia is a good choice, means basically let MS handle most of the OS updates (they'll need to do their own tweaks for their hardware of cause, but nothing to the extreme they'd need to do for Android) and bolt on some exclusive features/apps and maybe even assist in the areas MS is lacking in the core OS. Would be one hell of a team I reckon. Anyway, that is my humble opinion so take with a grain of salt...

* = Yes, I might of over embellished it a *little* bit :p but I think you get my point....I hope.

[McKay]

I just don't see this happening, not after all the effort they're putting into overhauling their OS. Unless they're planning to be on 2 OS's at the same time like Nokia still ships Symbian devices.

[jorel009]

bb10 is android, it is based on android...so they are in the android camp.

[George P Global Moderator]

bb10 is android, it is based on android...so they are in the android camp.

It's not at all based on Android, where did you get that idea from? It's got ZERO to do with android let alone Linux, BBOS 10 is based on QNX which RIM got back in 2010.

[.Neo]

If anything, Android would be a much better fit for Blackberry.

Yeah, that's what the world needs... Yet another company plastering their custom interface all over the same stuff.

[.Neo]

I just don't see this happening, not after all the effort they're putting into overhauling their OS. Unless they're planning to be on 2 OS's at the same time like Nokia still ships Symbian devices.

Well, didn't Nokia do the same with MeeGo?

[Boz]

Yeah, that's what the world needs... Yet another company plastering their custom interface all over the same stuff.

and having wild success.. definitely the worst thing they can do /s.. Wait.. the smartest thing is to go with Windows Phone that is literally bankrupting Nokia.. Smart move! /s

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I can see this happening considering how BB10 is late and RIM is bleeding cash left and right. What I'm unsure about is how the existing BlackBerry customer base would react to it. The jump from the traditional BB devices with physical keyboard to touchscreen devices running WP8 is bound to alienate a significant portion of users.

[George P Global Moderator]

I can see this happening considering how BB10 is late and RIM is bleeding cash left and right. What I'm unsure about is how the existing BlackBerry customer base would react to it. The jump from the traditional BB devices with physical keyboard to touchscreen devices running WP8 is bound to alienate a significant portion of users.

That would happen anyways, I don't see any BB10 devices with a physical keyboard on the way. If anything RIM made a big deal out of it's new touch keyboard like it was the best thing since sliced bread.

[.Neo]

and having wild success.. definitely the worst thing they can do /s.. Wait.. the smartest thing is to go with Windows Phone that is literally bankrupting Nokia.. Smart move! /s

No they should just stick with their own platform instead of going up in the Android masses.

[McKay]

Well, didn't Nokia do the same with MeeGo?

That's what I said, "unless they're planning on supporting 2 OSs like Nokia".

[.Neo]

That's what I said, "unless they're planning on supporting 2 OSs like Nokia".

No, what you said was Windows Phone and Symbian. MeeGo was yet another platform, Nokia's answer to iOS and Android. They released one device only to dump it for Windows Phone.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

That would happen anyways, I don't see any BB10 devices with a physical keyboard on the way. If anything RIM made a big deal out of it's new touch keyboard like it was the best thing since sliced bread.

RIM said that while the first BB10 devices will be touchscreen-only, phones with a physical keyboard will follow. See also: http://crave.cnet.co.uk/mobiles/blackberry-ditches-physical-keyboard-for-first-bb10-phone-50008375/

[George P Global Moderator]

RIM said that while the first BB10 devices will be touchscreen-only, phones with a physical keyboard will follow. See also: http://crave.cnet.co...phone-50008375/

I'm aware of their new keyboard and all that, but to what you said, and the article you linked said it as well, the first BB10 device(s) won't have one, so even on their own accord they're going to be alienating their own users until/if they get the more traditional style blackberry devices out. They've already pushed BB10 back yet again into 2013 now, so if they stick to their guns and as slow as this is taking you probably won't see any type of device like that till late in 2013 at best, if not 2014. And at this rate I doubt RIM will last till 2014 anyways.

[Coolicer]

Don't forget that WP8 now also supports a 1:1 aspect ratio resolutions. Exactly the stuff the new BB qwerty devices would use with BB10. So I guess it's likely that RIM is already prototyping a WP8 device in their labs. It would make sense for RIM to jump on the WP bandwagon whilst continuing their BB10 development and see how everything goes.

[~Johnny]

I can see this happening considering how BB10 is late and RIM is bleeding cash left and right. What I'm unsure about is how the existing BlackBerry customer base would react to it. The jump from the traditional BB devices with physical keyboard to touchscreen devices running WP8 is bound to alienate a significant portion of users.

WP devices do support physical keyboards, though none of the current devices use the same type of form factor as the standard Blackberry design (ala curve). It's funny, because they were originally planning to support a square screen resolution perfect for those sort of devices for Windows Phone 8 earlier in the year, but they dropped it. They could easily do something like the Dell Venue Pro's design, just making it thinner and less top heaver and it'll satisfy a lot of people.

Personally I think all the security features, performance and enterprise management provided in Windows Phone 8 would be a great fit for Blackberries, and they'd certainly be able to get it up and running far cheaper and quicker than if they went with Android.

Don't forget that WP8 now also supports a 1:1 aspect ratio resolutions. Exactly the stuff the new BB qwerty devices would use with BB10. So I guess it's likely that RIM is already prototyping a WP8 device in their labs. It would make sense for RIM to jump on the WP bandwagon whilst continuing their BB10 development and see how everything goes.

Unfortunately it doesn't anymore. It was meant too, but they dropped it in favour of just 16:9 and 15:9 resolutions, presumably to make life easier for developers.

[ahhell]

That's right, take WP8 and it's new enterprise abilities, bolt on native and exclusive BBM support and RIM should have a winner on it's hands. Delaying BB10 isn't helping, it should have been out by now and time is ticking away. They could still do both though, nothing wrong with testing out a WP8 device to see how it goes. You don't have to go all in like Nokia. Besides, on the Android side everyone not named Samsung is getting their butt kicked. HTC isn't looking so hot, I expect a 3rd straight quarter of profit losses over there.

This guy knows what he's talking about.

I think RIM needs to do the switch otherwise MS is going to trample them. RIM can still market Blackberries in smaller very high security markets (US gov for one) but they are pretty much finished in every other market.

A switch to WP8 with all it's enterprise management tools is a smart decision...it also means that RIM is paying attention.