With the approaching release of the long overdue BlackBerry 10 phones and software, many are wondering how the reception of the release will turn out. Presumably, this release is what will make or break RIM. Whether they succeed and ascend toward the ranks of Android and Apple or sink and fall towards the same fate as Palm all depends on how we - the consumers - receive the device.
I like BlackBerry 10 to an extent. It seems like decent software, and as I said before, I think RIM is trying. I expected the company to burn out a long time ago, yet they’re still huffing along. I do feel that the software is a little too late for the praise such development might have received had it been released in a more timely manner; shortly around the time Android was starting to get a following would have been a good time, for instance. Now that both Android and Apple have massive consumer bases, with Windows Phone and BlackBerry currently falling pretty far behind, it might be hard to attract a large fan base for BlackBerry 10 without releasing something completely innovative.
Ultimately it is up to us how well BlackBerry 10 does. Both Taylor and Evan have expressed their interest in it, and while I may not think the devices or the software would be considered revolutionary, I cannot say that I absolutely hate it without trying it first. So I am still intrigued to see how the new devices and interface feels in the hand. I feel that only then can I make a fair judgment about BlackBerry 10, despite what I might have said earlier in regards to only being able to applaud their efforts. I’m not exactly a psychic and I could be very wrong about how this reception will go, as clearly many people in this industry are excited about numerous features BlackBerry 10 has to offer.
Perhaps innovation isn’t necessarily the only thing needed to win consumers over. Just having a fourth viable choice alone can make a huge impact. Why? Because people like choices; I like choices! Who wants to be stuck between an Apple and Android duopoly? Just because I like both platforms doesn’t mean everybody else does. BlackBerry 10 might have that special something that people who are unwilling to side with any other platform may want to see in a smartphone. Although I’m assuming there are specific key features that I presume BlackBerry 10 is still lacking (specifically the lack of apps in the current BlackBerry App World), I’m hoping that this new software is the push it needed to have app development be taken seriously.
Like with any other product on the market, cell phones or otherwise, the fate of this company rests in our hands. Although some of us (including myself before giving it a second thought) have condemned the company for their lack of willingness to keep up with an ever-changing market, others are ready to see what changes BlackBerry 10 can bring us. Clearly BlackBerry saw that the phrase, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” isn’t always the case (a theory our friends at Apple may also be starting to realize – hopefully before it’s almost too late to bounce back) so why not give this new and improved platform a try? I know I will be.
So readers, what are your first impressions about BlackBerry 10? Do you think you’ll be trying it out, or do you feel that it’s already a lost cause? Does anything about the platform look enticing to you? Let me know your thoughts!
