By: Lauren Moran
Before iPhones, there were BlackBerrys. Many young and older adults owned one of these, as one may say, fad phones. They were known for their keyboard, which was its predominant feature. The BlackBerry mimicked a laptop and they were very sufficient for sending and receiving emails. Unfortunately for the company, as iPhone sales increased, BlackBerry sales decreased. BlackBerry is very focused on a keyboard but people started to like the fact that Apple was a full-on touchscreen—no physical keyboard. BlackBerry would try to update their phones for the market but iPhone overtook and is continuing to overtake the smartphone business.
BlackBerry would continue to release new phones, and it was not long until the company released a full on touchscreen phone, with no keyboard. The company was still not as prosperous as it had been in the past. BlackBerry even tried to focus on software rather than releasing a new phone, but having a device in the market creates greater revenue potential for the company. Now, the BlackBerry is going to put out a new phone in Europe only. The new phone is not going to hit the United States, but that can always change.
The new BlackBerry Leap has set its release date for April in the European smart phone market. Physically, this phone is completely touchscreen, with no keyboard. Also, the screen is relatively large, five inches diagonally. The new iPhone 6 is 4.7 inches while the iPhone 6 Plus is 5.5 inches diagonally, with the BlackBerry Leap falling right in the middle of the two. The 25-hour battery life will probably appeal to many people as well as the eight-megapixel back camera and two-megapixel front camera. That is the same compared to the iPhone 6. It may or may not be a coincidence that the company released a phone similar to the iPhone to try to get their sales up.
The phone itself carries many new features that are appealing to customers. The phone offers greater security, built in with malware protection and with back-up to protect what is stored already in the phone. The BlackBerry Leap is going to have the BlackBerry Hub. That is where texts, emails, BBM (BlackBerry Messenger), social media, and all other sources of messaging are, in one place for easy access. The Leap also has a new “BlackBerry Assistant” which is the equivalent of Siri for a BlackBerry. The assistant facilitates using the phone with voice command. The phone also offers features like faster Internet, greater storage space, and BBM. The phone was introduced to attempt to get their sales up but it is very difficult in this market as iPhone is basically a monopoly in the smartphone business. Androids are also a big competitor in the smartphone business.
Marketing Discussions 
I agree that BlackBerry company improve and innovate their cellphone in order to adapt the demand of market. As we know, keyboard is a features of BlackBerry company’s cellphone other than Apple, Samsung and so on. There are many customers who like to use this cellphone such as businessman and government officials. Therefore, I believe that keyboard cellphone has still large market unitl now. But if BlackBerry totally changes its style of cellphone like iphone and galaxy, it will be so hard to compete with other companies which are popular and mature to sell the cellphone of full-on touchscreen—no physical keyboard. Because of the keyboard, so many people like using it. Finally, I think that Company has to adapt the demand of market, at the same time it should not give up self-feature.
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Honestly, I forgot about blackberry, but I think it is good that they are trying to be innovative and bring back the company. Years ago, blackberry was “the phone” to have. With a features like bbm, and the internet/email, blackberry was on top. With all the cell phone companies out there now however, blackberry might have some trouble getting back in the competition. Also, since so many people have iPhones and are so loyal to the apple brand with iMessage, bbm not only seems like a thing of the past, but also there would be no use for it unless everyone switches to blackberries. As far as the screen size, i don’t think it is anything special for them to brag about. Many new phones have larger or smaller screens, but what does seem interesting about this new blackberry would be the longer battery life. I think it will be interesting to watch blackberry and see how they do in the market.
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I also forgot about Blackberry. I remember it being so popular and then all of a sudden it faded away, and fast. I highly question how successful the phone will be just because of the amount of competition. It’s surprising to me that Blackberry really was the number one at one point and then disintegrated. To me, they failed to change with the times (like the iPhone was doing). I feel like what Blackberry is doing now is too little too late.
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The last time I heard about Blackberry Lenovo wanted to buy them. I would like to see how this phone does in Europe. It sounds like Blackberry has made some improvements with their phones. Blackberry messenger sounds like it can be almost like imessage for the iPhone. This new Blackberry Leap I believe will most likely be released in the U.S. one day. Blackberry always offered great security on their phone. With people doing more shopping and banking on their smartphones this can be a huge advantage for Blackberry. Offering a safe ad secure cell phone may help Blackberry make a come back one day.
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It’s almost funny that I commented on a post earlier and mentioned my blackberry storm. Blackberry has always had products that while not apple, they still produced a well made and very well lied phone. Although iphones are easy to use as kids, grown ups tend to be more familiar with products like blackberry. Now that they have the same features as an iphone, plus additional other qualities, it may bring an older target market to buying the product. The thing is, it doesn’t stop there. After a few months of iphone use, it requires you to always have a source to charge it due to the battery wearing down. This is a common problem which may also bring a few members of the younger consumer market to blackberry. In my opinion, and a common opinion of others, iphone will continue to rule/dominate the market. With saying that, and although blackberry won’t take over the apple market, I do feel that there is certainly a decent sum of people who will buy. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the sales will be greater than what’s expected from many. Taking the product to Europe as a test market is a good call as well. Americans may have different qualities than the people in Europe, but it still will be a good choice to find a round number from the statistics of who buys. Lastly, I hope the Leap makes it into the market in the next few years. It has the potential to put Blackberry back in the market and up next to/right below apple, samsung, htc, ect.
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The Blackberry Leap could absolutely be the next big thing for the company and be the product that is able to get them back into the market, as a sound competitor next to companies such as Apple, Samsung and HTC. When I think of the Blackberry, I think of a phone of the business man or woman. They had a keyboard for fast, efficient typing. Built in malware protection and backup protection; this was a secure phone to own. However, when the iPhone did go on market, Blackberry sales declined greatly. Having a physical keyboard was out and the touch screen was in. Later, Blackberry did introduce a full screen touchscreen; however, it did not have close to as much success as they wished to have. Although I never owned a Blackberry, I have always respected the company – they built well-made, efficient phones. I believe Blackberry still has some of that reputation. If the company could key into just one niche – perhaps the fast-paced working business person who demands an efficient well-working phone that is heavily protected, I believe the company could still continue to have a marketable product – even without what they are known for, the keyboard. Europe could be a great test market for the company, as it may be a little safer of an area of the company to test out the new Leap. If it does well there, I believe there is potential for success to follow thorough in the States.
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Before the iPhone, I remember viewing the blackberry and sidekick as the leaders of the cell phone market. Although, as the iPhone grew in popularity you saw those old phones fade away in memory. iPhone stormed the market and basically trolled every competitor in its way. I do see what Blackberry is trying to do by transitioning from their normal style to all touch screen with a much larger screen. The problem is, apple and the iPhone has already solidified themselves in a lot of people’s minds as the superior touch screen phone. Blackberry is a phone company of the past and I see little room for their “Leap” to have much impact.
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Blackberry have leaded the market for many years before apple. The blackberry’s phones are more common for business people that still like the keyboard. I think it is a big advantage for Blackberry to have the keyboard because there are a lot of people that still prefer to have a type of phone like that instead of a touchscreen phone. But i think that companies have to adjust their product on the demand and need of the clients.
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Blackberrys were such a common phone until the iPhone hit the market. Actually, every phone was pretty popular until the iPhone hit the market. Thats why I believe this new Blackberry phone is useless. iPhones have way too much market share its unfair. This phone also has features that iPhones already have like iCloud and “Blackberry Assistant.” This phone is basically a new creation of the iPhone and I believe it is no actual competition to the iPhone.
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I feel that Blackberrys are more of an older persons phone. What i mean by that is my grandfather is a lawyer and he always has his Blackberry on him. I asked him why he didn’t convert to an iPhone, he said he didn’t like the touchscreen and all of the extra apps and add-ons. So if Blackberry is trying to invade the iPhone market, they will pose no threat to the iPhone.
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I agree that BlackBerrys were your typical businessperson phone until the iPhone took over. I personally think that BlackBerrys could make a comeback at some point in time because they did so well in previous years. The idea of the BlackBerry in general appeals to me because they were did exactly what you needed as a phone without over doing it. With many phones today you can do basically anything, which is great, but it completely consumes the user. Next time you step into a class i encourage you to look around, you will be amazed at how many people are using their iPhones. For this reason, i think that bringing back the BlackBerry could be a smart idea.
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I feel like blackberry is more of a business type phone more than a personal one. I personally had a blackberry before getting my iPhone and loved it. Though it sounds bad, I did go team iPhone when they started to become “the next best thing.” I think that soon enough the iPhone fad will soon fade out and blackberry could possibly make a comeback.
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Personally, i think Blackberry has seen its day. Everybody has an iPhone that is the thing to have. I thinks its better quality and has more capabilities than Blackberry. Its more of a business phone and i think thats how people see it now. Yes maybe it will turn some heads and if somehow iPhone falls off maybe they can break the market.
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One of the major obstacles Blackberry is going to somehow overcome is the “iSheep” (Apple followers). I had a Blackberry before the iPhone came out, I’m sure they only stuck around due to the stubborn, older generation business people to who refuse to accept change as they’ve been using a Blackberry for crucial day to day matters for years. Additionally, Blackberry’s version of a touch screen, the storm, was mediocre at best.
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