Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins continues to play a vital role in reviving the BlackBerry brand. With the launch of the Z10, he is optimistic that things are moving on the right track at the right pace. Speaking to the press, Heins detailed views on the current trends in the smartphone industry and how BlackBerry’s plans fit into the same on the road ahead. He even commented on BlackBerry’s competitors; particularly Apple, which is responsible for checking BlackBerry’s dominant enterprise presence in the last couple of years.
He praised Apple for innovating through the introduction of touch phones in the mobile industry. Furthermore, he praised Apple as a design icon and admitted that they are to be respected for their contributions. He went on to say that history will continue to repeat itself i.e. comparing Apple’s current state of affairs with what BlackBerry had to face a few years ago. He added that if a company fails to keep up with the rate at which innovation is taking place, it is likely to lose out to growing competition. This is true; given that fact that iOS hasn’t changed its outlook much since its launch in 2007. There have been consistent addition of features, but the platform has not undergone any drastic change in user interface. Apple is now feeling the heat as a result of perceived stagnation.
Heins continued to remain optimistic on the Z10’s performance in the US. The phone hits AT&T stores on March 22nd and Verizon store shelves a week later. Heins further asserted that BlackBerry World will reach 100,000 applications by the time the Z10 hits stores. Despite the absence of marquee apps like Instagram, Heins is hopeful the platform will live up to expectations. He even went on to say that negotiations with companies developing these applications are still in process and BlackBerry is hopeful that they will be successful.
The big question in the minds of many critics is whether the Z10 is too little too late. Initial reports are indicative of a large number of pre-orders, but sustaining sales will be BlackBerry’s greatest challenge. Several analysts have rubbished earlier reports suggesting users have begun defecting from Android and iPhone to BlackBerry. According to these analysts, this will not happen in the US smartphone market. Analysts predict that most would prefer to shift to the Samsung Galaxy S IV rather that the Z10.
