BlackBerry continues to wither on the vine, with market share for the once iconic smartphone maker slipping to under five percent.
So, can a company name change salvage what’s left? I guess it’s worth a shot.
As anticipated, Research in Motion — the maker of the BlackBerry — changed its corporate name to BlackBerry this week. (It already was trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker BBRY).
“The name change to BlackBerry from Research In Motion comes at a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. “BlackBerry changed the world when the first products were introduced in 1999. Today, we are charting a new course in mobile computing, creating new products and services under an integrated, branded organization. Our new name delivers on our iconic brand’s reputation for keeping people moving and productive in an ever connected world.”
What’s more interesting were remarks made by Heins at the company’s annual meeting and reported in The New York Times in which the mobile executive admitted that they botched the recent release of its new line of phones.
“It is really a challenge in the U.S.,” Heins said during the meeting. He later added that BlackBerry faces “an uphill battle” in winning over investors.
Responding to a shareholder who described the launch of the Z10 phone as a disaster, Heins added:
“Were we perfect at the launch? Probably not. Was it a disaster? I don’t think so,” he said. Nonetheless, changes are occurring beyond the name change. The company recently fired its U.S. sales chief, Richard Piasentin, after poor sales of the Z10.
What do you think? Does BlackBerry have a chance against iPhone and Android?
Every time I meet someone carrying a BlackBerry device, they are almost embarrassed to admit that they are still stuck on the technology. That can’t be a good thing: Having customers embarrassed to pull their phones out of their pockets.
