Blackberry’s open letter to the public across nine countries, last week, came across as a last ditch attempt to reconnect with consumers.
I already get slightly miffed when I think about all the tremendous technology that Blackberry has at its fingertips, and how it could all go down the drain. But, Blackberry pleading with the very same consumers whom it had unsuccessfully attempted to woo, and who had put Blackberry in the very mess that it is in today, tunes me off BIG TIME.
All the operating system revamps to make it more “user-friendly”, all the huge dives in confidence whenever an OS was delayed, all the hits your brand took when your (Blackberry Enterprise Server) BES wasn’t at its best, and many, many more … it was all because you shifted your focus towards the mass market!
You had said yourself, in your open letter:
Blackberry is best in class productivity tool, best in class security, best in class enterprise mobility management, and here is something I would add to the list and attest – you make the best da*n hardware and QWERTY keypad.
Or rather, you used to. But not anymore. Because you shifted your focus to the mass market!
Blackberry, all your pandering to the consumers and giving them what they want, inevitably led to your demise. Governments and security-sensitive global corporations, who know your worth, still use your solutions, and will still stick behind you.
Do they have a choice? Is there anyone else out there who can do what you already do best, better?
IT BYTES BACK! says: You *dabbled* in the consumer space, and you have given it your best shot. But, I’ve said it before and I will say it again: the fickle consumer space, hasn’t done you any favours. It’s time to go home to your enterprise roots.
