RIM, Microsoft Bets Hint at Radical Change

摘要

Although 2011 proved to be a dynamic year in mobility, in broad strokes it certainly hewed to the expectations of many analysts. Google Android continued to gain market share, as predicted, while Apple's iPhone remained a potent force in both the consumer and business realms. Microsoft's Windows Phone struggled to gain users, and Research In Motion did its best to beat back rivals. The coming year will almost certainly prove to be far more unpredictable, if only because the pressure of Android and iOS is driving other competitors to take game-changing risks. RIM faced declining revenue throughout most of 2011, with executives acknowledging headwinds due to an aging BlackBerry device line. Those numbers led to analyst pessimism and even a well-publicized call from Canadian merchant bank (and RIM shareholder) Jaguar Financial for an executive shake-up. The company is betting that its upcoming "superphones," loaded with a "BBX" operating system based on the same QNX OS that powers RIM's PlayBook tablet, will help reverse its fortunes. However, the exact timetable for the BBX devices' release is unclear.