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This feels a little like when AOL switched to providing their webmail for free. For AOL it was a huge shift in strategy, but a necessary one. I'm not sure I co

by shiftb 16y ago

This feels a little like when AOL switched to providing their webmail for free. For AOL it was a huge shift in strategy, but a necessary one. I'm not sure I completely understand how this helps RIM much, though. BBM is about the only I miss from my BlackBerry, and I would sign up in a minute if it was available on my phone. Still, that doesn't make me more inclined to buy a RIM device again.

JonLim 16y ago
"I'm not sure I completely understand how this helps RIM much, though. BBM is about the only I miss from my BlackBerry, and I would sign up in a minute if it was available on my phone. Still, that doesn't make me more inclined to buy a RIM device again." I think that's the key. Making BBM platform independent, while charging for usage, would be a great way to shift their business model in the face of declining hardware sales. They are getting their lunch eaten by iOS and Android, IMO, and offering BBM is a great way of expanding their market across the board. Will it negatively affect their hardware sales? Yes. Will it give them a good business model moving forward? I think so. I think it would be a very smart move, but the results will speak for themselves.